CVE-2019-9322 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In libavc there is a possible information disclosure due to uninitialized data. 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-111128067
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-9322 affects the libavc component within Android systems, specifically targeting the Android 10 operating system. This issue represents a critical information disclosure vulnerability that stems from the improper handling of uninitialized data within the video codec processing pipeline. The flaw exists within the hardware-accelerated video codec implementation that processes multimedia content, creating a pathway for unauthorized data exposure without requiring elevated privileges or additional malicious code execution.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper initialization of memory structures used during video decoding operations. When processing certain video streams, the libavc library fails to properly initialize memory buffers before use, resulting in the exposure of sensitive data that may have been previously stored in those memory locations. This uninitialized data could contain fragments of previous video frames, system information, or other confidential data that remains in memory. The vulnerability manifests during the video decoding process where the system processes malformed or specially crafted video content that triggers the use of uninitialized memory regions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for remote information disclosure attacks that can be executed through media content delivered via various channels including email attachments, web pages, or multimedia messaging services. The exploitation requires user interaction, typically through the automatic playback of malicious media content or manual user action to open compromised files, but does not require additional privileges beyond normal user access. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by attackers to extract sensitive information from devices without needing to establish a foothold or perform complex exploitation techniques.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the exposed data could potentially include system memory contents, previous user sessions, or other sensitive information that may aid in further exploitation attempts. Security researchers have classified this issue as a potential vector for advanced persistent threat activities where attackers could gather intelligence about target systems, user behaviors, or system configurations. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-457 which describes "Use of Uninitialized Variable" and represents a common weakness that can lead to various security implications including information disclosure, privilege escalation, or denial of service conditions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-9322 primarily focus on applying the relevant security patches provided by Google and device manufacturers as part of their regular Android security updates. Users should ensure their devices are running the latest security patches, particularly those released in the April 2019 security bulletin which addressed this specific vulnerability. Network administrators and security teams should implement monitoring for suspicious media content delivery and consider implementing content filtering measures for video files from untrusted sources. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper memory initialization practices in embedded systems and multimedia processing components, emphasizing the need for comprehensive code review processes that include security testing for uninitialized memory usage.
The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under the information disclosure technique, potentially enabling adversaries to gather system information through the exposure of uninitialized memory contents. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader threat modeling activities and implement defense-in-depth strategies including network segmentation, application whitelisting, and regular security assessments to prevent exploitation of similar uninitialized memory issues. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of secure coding practices in multimedia processing components and the need for thorough security testing of hardware-accelerated processing pipelines that handle sensitive user data.