CVE-2019-2160 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In libxaac there is a possible out of bounds read due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to information disclosure with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation. Product: AndroidVersions: Android-10Android ID: A-112715795
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2160 resides within the libxaac library component of Android systems, specifically affecting Android 10 deployments. This issue represents a classic out-of-bounds read condition that occurs when the system fails to properly validate input data boundaries before processing audio encoding operations. The flaw manifests during the handling of Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) audio data streams where the application does not perform adequate bounds checking on array access operations, creating a potential pathway for unauthorized data exposure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it firmly within the CWE-129 category of "Improper Validation of Array Index" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for execution through audio processing components. When an attacker crafts malicious audio data containing specially formatted AAC streams, the libxaac library processes this input without proper validation, leading to memory access violations that can expose sensitive data from adjacent memory locations. The vulnerability requires user interaction for exploitation, typically through the delivery of malicious audio files that are processed by the affected system's audio subsystem, making it particularly concerning for mobile environments where users frequently encounter multimedia content.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it could potentially reveal sensitive system information, cryptographic keys, or personal data stored in memory regions adjacent to the affected audio processing buffers. Attackers could leverage this weakness to gather intelligence about the target system, potentially aiding in more sophisticated attacks. The fact that no additional execution privileges are required for exploitation makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through standard user interactions with multimedia content. The Android ID A-112715795 indicates this was properly tracked and addressed within the Android security framework, with the vulnerability being resolved through proper bounds checking implementations and input validation mechanisms that ensure array accesses remain within allocated memory boundaries.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-2160 should focus on implementing comprehensive input validation procedures within the libxaac library and similar audio processing components. System administrators and security teams should ensure that all Android devices are updated to the latest security patches that address this specific vulnerability, as the fix typically involves adding proper bounds checking mechanisms to prevent unauthorized memory access. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network-level controls to filter potentially malicious audio content and maintain regular security assessments of multimedia processing components to identify similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should also include comprehensive testing of audio processing pipelines to verify that proper validation mechanisms are in place and functioning correctly.