CVE-2019-2162 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 remote information disclosure with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation. Product: AndroidVersions: Android-10Android ID: A-112713720
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2162 resides within the libxaac library component of Android systems, specifically affecting Android 10 implementations. This issue represents a classic out-of-bounds read condition that occurs when the system fails to properly validate array indices before accessing memory locations. The flaw exists in the audio decoding subsystem where the AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) decoder processes incoming audio data streams. When malformed or crafted audio content is processed by the libxaac library, the absence of proper bounds checking allows the decoder to access memory regions beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This particular vulnerability falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, which specifically addresses insufficient bounds checking in array access operations.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction, typically through the presentation of malicious audio content that triggers the affected decoding path. Attackers must convince users to play or process specially crafted audio files that contain malformed AAC data structures. The attack vector operates through the Android media framework where audio content is decoded and rendered, making it accessible through standard media playback applications or system services that handle audio processing. The vulnerability does not require any special privileges or execution rights from the attacker, as the flaw exists within the legitimate decoding process that occurs during normal media playback operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for information disclosure attacks where an attacker could potentially extract sensitive data from the device's memory. The out-of-bounds read could expose system memory contents including potentially sensitive information such as cryptographic keys, user data, or system configuration details. The remote nature of the information disclosure means that attackers could potentially exploit this vulnerability through malicious audio content delivered via email attachments, web downloads, or other media delivery mechanisms. The Android security model relies on proper bounds checking to prevent such memory corruption issues, and this flaw represents a failure in that protective mechanism.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-2162 involve both immediate and long-term approaches. Android security patches released in 2019 addressed this issue by implementing proper bounds checking within the libxaac library, ensuring that all array accesses are validated against their legitimate boundaries before processing. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize applying the relevant security updates to all affected Android 10 devices. Additionally, users should avoid processing audio content from untrusted sources and maintain current security patches on their devices. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of memory safety practices in multimedia processing libraries and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which covers data from information repositories through exploitation of system vulnerabilities. Organizations should implement robust input validation procedures and regular security assessments of multimedia processing components to prevent similar issues in other system libraries.