CVE-2019-2165 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-112712154
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2165 resides within the libxaac library component of Android systems, specifically affecting Android 10 installations. 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 content. The flaw exists in the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) decoding functionality where the application does not perform adequate bounds checking on incoming audio data streams, creating a potential pathway for unauthorized information disclosure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the libxaac library's audio processing routines. When processing malformed or specially crafted AAC audio files, the system attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This missing bounds check allows an attacker to potentially access adjacent memory regions that may contain sensitive data such as cryptographic keys, system credentials, or other confidential information stored in memory. The vulnerability requires user interaction for exploitation, typically through the delivery of a malicious audio file that triggers the flawed decoding process when played or processed by the affected Android system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to Android device security as it enables information disclosure without requiring any special privileges or execution rights from the attacker. The attack vector necessitates user interaction, making it susceptible to social engineering techniques where users might unknowingly download and play malicious audio content. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure since the information accessed through this out-of-bounds read could potentially include system memory contents that reveal internal application states, memory addresses, or other sensitive operational details. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient bounds checking, and represents a variant of the broader class of memory safety issues that frequently appear in multimedia processing libraries.
The exploitation of this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust input validation in security-critical components, particularly those handling multimedia content where user-supplied data can be manipulated to trigger memory corruption behaviors. Security practitioners should consider this issue in the context of the ATT&CK framework's technique T1059, which involves executing malicious code through user interaction, and T1068, which addresses privilege escalation through application vulnerabilities. The Android security model's reliance on proper bounds checking in system libraries highlights the critical need for comprehensive testing of multimedia processing components. Mitigation strategies should focus on updating to patched versions of the Android operating system, implementing proper input validation in custom applications that utilize libxaac, and deploying network-based intrusion detection systems that can identify and block malicious audio content patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing user education programs to reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks that could exploit this vulnerability through user interaction.