CVE-2020-0161 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In parseChunk of MPEG4Extractor.cpp, there is possible resource exhaustion due to improper input validation. This could lead to remote denial of service with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-10Android ID: A-127973550
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-0161 resides within the MPEG4Extractor.cpp component of Android's media framework, specifically in the parseChunk function where inadequate input validation creates a pathway for resource exhaustion attacks. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that allows adversaries to exploit the media processing pipeline through malformed multimedia content, potentially leading to remote denial of service conditions without requiring elevated privileges or user interaction beyond initial content delivery.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of input parameters during the parsing of MPEG4 media chunks, creating opportunities for attackers to craft specially crafted media files that trigger excessive resource consumption within the Android media framework. This issue manifests as a resource exhaustion condition that can overwhelm memory allocation mechanisms and processing capabilities, ultimately resulting in application crashes or system instability. The vulnerability operates at the parsing layer of media processing, where legitimate input validation fails to adequately sanitize or limit the resources consumed during chunk processing operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote attackers to initiate denial of service conditions against Android devices by simply delivering maliciously formatted media content through various communication channels such as email attachments, web downloads, or messaging applications. The attack requires no special privileges beyond basic network access and can affect any Android 10 device running the vulnerable media processing framework. The exploitation process leverages the normal media parsing workflow, making detection more challenging as the malicious behavior occurs within legitimate system operations.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-770, which categorizes resource exhaustion issues where insufficient resource limiting or monitoring leads to system instability. This weakness also maps to ATT&CK technique T1499.001, which involves resource exhaustion attacks targeting system availability through various means including media processing components. The attack surface extends across multiple Android components including the media framework, content handler services, and multimedia processing pipelines that handle various file formats.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate system updates and patches provided by Google through the Android security bulletin process, as the fix typically involves enhanced input validation and resource consumption limits within the media parser. Organizations should implement network-based filtering to block suspicious media content, particularly when delivered through untrusted sources. Additionally, device administrators should consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict media processing capabilities for untrusted applications. The recommended approach includes monitoring for unusual resource consumption patterns in media processing components and implementing proper input sanitization routines that enforce reasonable limits on media file parameters and processing resources.