CVE-2018-11261 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In all android releases(Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android) from CAF using the linux kernel, there is a possible Use-after-free issue in Media Codec process. Any application using codec service will be affected.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/11/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-11261 represents a critical use-after-free flaw within the Android media codec implementation that affects multiple Android variants including MSM, Firefox OS, and QRD Android platforms. This issue originates in the Linux kernel components that Android relies upon for multimedia processing, creating a fundamental security weakness in the operating system's handling of media data. The vulnerability specifically targets the Media Codec process which is responsible for encoding and decoding multimedia content, making it a prime target for exploitation due to the widespread use of multimedia functionality across applications.
The technical nature of this flaw stems from improper memory management within the codec service implementation where freed memory regions are accessed after being deallocated, creating opportunities for malicious code to manipulate the system state. This use-after-free condition occurs when the media codec process releases memory back to the system but continues to reference that memory location, potentially allowing attackers to overwrite critical data structures or execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability manifests when any application utilizes the codec service, meaning that even legitimate applications can become vectors for exploitation if they process multimedia content through the affected kernel components.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-11261 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can enable full system compromise through memory corruption attacks. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute code with elevated privileges, potentially gaining access to sensitive user data, system resources, or even root access to the device. The widespread nature of the affected platforms means that numerous Android devices, particularly those manufactured by companies using Qualcomm's MSM chipsets, are vulnerable to this attack vector. This creates a significant risk for enterprise environments and individual users who rely on these devices for both personal and professional activities, as the exploitation could lead to complete device compromise and data theft.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected systems through official security updates provided by device manufacturers and Google. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring of their Android device fleets to identify affected systems and prioritize remediation efforts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-416 which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions, and represents a significant concern under the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques. Security teams should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to limit the execution of potentially malicious code through media processing channels, while network-level monitoring can help detect exploitation attempts. Additionally, device administrators should disable unnecessary media processing capabilities when not required, reducing the attack surface available to potential exploiters.