CVE-2017-9678 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In all Qualcomm products with Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, in a video driver, memory corruption can potentially occur due to lack of bounds checking in a memcpy().
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/09/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-9678 represents a critical memory corruption flaw discovered in Qualcomm's video driver implementation within Android devices that utilize the Linux kernel. This issue affects all Qualcomm products that incorporate Android releases from the Code Aurora Forum and stems from inadequate bounds checking mechanisms within a memcpy() function call. The vulnerability exists at the intersection of hardware and software security where Qualcomm's proprietary video driver components interact with the underlying Linux kernel infrastructure, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient validation of memory boundaries during data copying operations within the video driver subsystem. When the memcpy() function is invoked without proper bounds checking, it allows for potential buffer overflows or underflows that can overwrite adjacent memory locations. This flaw specifically manifests in the video processing pipeline where data is copied between different memory regions during video decoding or encoding operations. The absence of proper input validation creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory contents and potentially execute arbitrary code or cause system instability. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-787, which covers out-of-bounds write operations that can lead to memory corruption.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-9678 extends beyond simple system crashes or performance degradation, as it presents a significant security risk to users of affected Qualcomm-powered devices. Attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges within the system, execute malicious code, or establish persistent backdoors through the compromised video driver component. The nature of this flaw means that any application or process that interacts with video processing functionality could become a potential attack vector, making the vulnerability particularly dangerous in mobile environments where users frequently engage with multimedia content. The exploitation of this vulnerability could result in complete system compromise, data theft, or unauthorized access to sensitive user information stored on the device.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-9678 should focus on both immediate patching and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar issues in future implementations. Qualcomm has released security patches that address the bounds checking deficiency in the video driver, which should be applied immediately to all affected devices. Organizations and users should implement comprehensive device management policies that ensure timely patch deployment across all Qualcomm-based Android devices. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing runtime monitoring and anomaly detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of adhering to secure coding practices and following the principles outlined in the ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and execution of malicious code through kernel-level vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be conducted to identify similar issues in other driver components and ensure proper input validation mechanisms are in place throughout the system architecture.