CVE-2018-9366 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 11/19/2024
In IMSA_Recv_Thread and VT_IMCB_Thread of ImsaClient.cpp and VideoTelephony.c, there is a possible out of bounds write due to an integer overflow. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9366 represents a critical integer overflow flaw that exists within the IMSA_Recv_Thread and VT_IMCB_Thread functions of the ImsaClient.cpp and VideoTelephony.c source files. This issue manifests as a potential out of bounds write condition that can be exploited to achieve local privilege escalation without requiring any additional execution privileges or user interaction. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of integer arithmetic operations that fail to account for potential overflow conditions during memory allocation or buffer boundary calculations. The affected components are part of a multimedia communication system that processes incoming data streams and manages telephony functionalities, making this flaw particularly dangerous in environments where such services are actively running. The integer overflow occurs when calculations involving buffer sizes or array indices exceed the maximum representable value for the data type, resulting in unexpected behavior that can be manipulated by an attacker.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability leverages the fundamental principle of integer overflow as classified under CWE-190, which specifically addresses integer overflow conditions. When an integer variable exceeds its maximum value, it wraps around to a negative value or zero, creating a scenario where memory operations can access invalid memory locations. The vulnerability affects the thread management system within the multimedia client application, where the IMSA_Recv_Thread and VT_IMCB_Thread functions handle incoming data processing. These threads process real-time communication data streams and perform memory operations that do not properly validate integer inputs before using them as array indices or buffer sizes. The lack of user interaction requirement makes this vulnerability particularly concerning as it can be exploited automatically without any human intervention, potentially allowing attackers to escalate privileges on systems where the vulnerable application is running with elevated permissions.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-9366 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it represents a significant security weakness that can be exploited in various attack scenarios. The vulnerability can lead to complete system compromise when the affected application runs with administrative privileges, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated permissions. This flaw particularly affects systems that rely on multimedia communication services and video telephony functionalities, which are common in enterprise environments, telecommunication systems, and collaborative platforms. The exploitation process typically involves crafting specific input data that triggers the integer overflow condition, causing the application to write data beyond allocated memory boundaries. This can result in memory corruption that may be leveraged to overwrite critical system structures, potentially leading to denial of service conditions or complete system takeover. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Local Privilege Escalation' and T1059 which addresses 'Command and Scripting Interpreter' as attackers can use the escalated privileges to execute additional malicious payloads.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-9366 should focus on implementing robust input validation and integer overflow protection mechanisms within the affected codebase. The primary fix involves adding proper bounds checking and overflow detection before any integer arithmetic operations that affect memory allocation or indexing. Developers should implement explicit validation of buffer sizes and array indices to prevent calculations from exceeding data type limits, utilizing techniques such as safe integer arithmetic libraries or compiler built-in overflow detection features. The recommended approach includes modifying the IMSA_Recv_Thread and VT_IMCB_Thread functions to validate all integer inputs and implement proper error handling for cases where overflow conditions might occur. System administrators should ensure that affected applications are patched immediately, as the vulnerability does not require user interaction for exploitation. Additionally, implementing runtime protections such as address space layout randomization ASLR and data execution prevention DEP can provide additional layers of defense against exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive code reviews focusing on integer handling and memory management practices to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across their software portfolios.