CVE-2019-2061 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In libxaac, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to remote code execution with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation. Product: AndroidVersions: Android-10Android ID: A-112610994
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2061 resides within the libxaac library component of Android systems, specifically affecting Android 10 deployments. This issue represents a critical security flaw that manifests as a potential out of bounds write condition, fundamentally compromising the integrity of memory operations within the audio processing pipeline. The vulnerability stems from the absence of proper bounds checking mechanisms that should validate input data boundaries before processing. The affected library handles audio encoding operations, particularly for advanced audio coding formats that are commonly used in multimedia applications and system audio processing.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires a remote attacker to craft malicious audio content that triggers the missing bounds check during audio processing. When the libxaac library processes this malformed input data, the absence of validation allows memory writes to occur beyond allocated buffer boundaries, potentially overwriting adjacent memory regions. This type of flaw directly maps to CWE-129, which describes improper validation of array indices, and CWE-787, which addresses out of bounds write conditions. The attack vector requires user interaction, meaning that a malicious audio file must be presented to the victim for the exploit to succeed, typically through email attachments, messaging applications, or media streaming services.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it enables complete system compromise without requiring elevated privileges. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can potentially execute arbitrary code within the context of the audio processing service, which may lead to full system compromise depending on the service's privileges and the system's security architecture. The Android security model typically isolates audio processing components, but the memory corruption could potentially be leveraged to escalate privileges or gain access to sensitive system resources. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage, and T1068, which involves exploit for privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-2061 primarily focus on system updates and patch management, with Google releasing security updates for Android 10 that address the bounds checking deficiency in libxaac. Organizations should prioritize immediate deployment of the relevant security patches to prevent exploitation. Additionally, implementing network-level controls such as audio file filtering and sandboxing mechanisms can provide defense in depth. Security monitoring should include detection of unusual audio processing patterns and memory allocation behaviors that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of input validation in multimedia libraries and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of audio processing components. System administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies for audio processing applications and regularly audit system configurations to ensure proper isolation of multimedia processing services.