CVE-2018-9566 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In process_service_search_rsp of sdp_discovery.c, there is a possible out of bounds read due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to remote information disclosure when connecting to a malicious Bluetooth device with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation. Product: Android. Versions: Android-7.0 Android-7.1.1 Android-7.1.2 Android-8.0 Android-8.1 Android-9. Android ID: A-74249842.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9566 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within the Bluetooth service discovery protocol implementation of Android operating systems. This issue exists in the sdp_discovery.c file where the process_service_search_rsp function fails to validate array bounds before accessing memory locations. The flaw specifically affects Android versions 7.0 through 9.0, making it a widespread concern across multiple Android release lines. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-129 as an Improper Validation of Array Index, which directly relates to the missing bounds checking mechanism that should have prevented unauthorized memory access patterns. This particular flaw demonstrates how Bluetooth protocol implementations can create attack vectors that bypass traditional security boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption as it enables remote information disclosure without requiring any special execution privileges or user-level permissions. An attacker capable of establishing a malicious Bluetooth connection to a vulnerable Android device can exploit this flaw through a carefully crafted service discovery response packet. The requirement for user interaction suggests that while the device must be in Bluetooth discovery mode or actively connected to the malicious device, the actual exploitation can occur without user awareness or explicit consent. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the ATT&CK framework under the T1046 technique for Network Service Scanning, where the malicious device acts as a pivot point for information gathering. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can potentially harvest sensitive data from the device without physical access or complex attack chains.
The technical exploitation of CVE-2018-9566 occurs when a Bluetooth device responds to a service discovery request with malformed data that exceeds the expected buffer boundaries. The missing bounds check allows the system to read beyond allocated memory regions, potentially exposing sensitive information from adjacent memory locations. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in mobile environments where Bluetooth is frequently used for device pairing and service discovery operations. The Android ID A-74249842 indicates this was properly tracked and addressed by Google's security team, demonstrating the severity of the issue within their vulnerability management process. The vulnerability's classification as a remote information disclosure aligns with ATT&CK's T1005 technique for Data from Local System, where attackers can extract information from device memory through network-based attacks. The lack of additional execution privileges required makes this vulnerability particularly concerning for mobile device security, as it can be exploited through simple Bluetooth connections without requiring root access or specialized tools. Organizations should implement network segmentation and Bluetooth security policies to mitigate exposure, while users should ensure their devices are updated to versions containing the patched Bluetooth stack implementations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of input validation in network protocol implementations and serves as a reminder of how seemingly benign Bluetooth services can become attack vectors when proper bounds checking is omitted.