CVE-2019-2164 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-113263695
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2164 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 functionality where the AAC (Advanced Audio Coding) decoder processes audio data streams without adequate bounds checking mechanisms. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-129 as an Improper Validation of Array Index, which directly relates to the missing bounds check that allows unauthorized memory access patterns.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires user interaction, meaning an attacker must convince a victim to perform a specific action such as opening a malicious audio file or accessing a compromised web page that triggers the affected decoder. When the libxaac library processes malformed audio data, the absence of proper bounds validation allows the decoder to read memory locations beyond the intended array boundaries. This out-of-bounds read can potentially expose sensitive information from adjacent memory regions, including cryptographic keys, system credentials, or other confidential data that may be stored in memory adjacent to the audio processing buffers.
From an operational security perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk for information disclosure attacks within Android environments. The fact that no additional execution privileges are required for exploitation means that an attacker can leverage this flaw through standard user-level interactions, making it particularly dangerous for mobile environments where users frequently interact with multimedia content. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript and T1566.001 for Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment, as attackers could craft malicious audio files or web content that triggers this condition when processed by the affected Android system. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked memory contents could potentially contain sensitive application data or system state information that could be leveraged for further exploitation.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include applying the latest security patches from Android vendors, which typically involve updating the libxaac library with proper bounds checking implementations. Organizations should also implement application whitelisting policies to restrict the types of audio files that can be processed, particularly in enterprise environments where users may encounter untrusted multimedia content. Network-level filtering can help prevent malicious audio content from reaching end-user devices, while regular security assessments should verify that audio processing components are properly configured with appropriate memory validation controls. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of opening audio files from untrusted sources, and system administrators should monitor for unusual audio processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in multimedia processing components and highlights how seemingly benign audio decoding operations can become vectors for information disclosure attacks when proper security controls are absent.