CVE-2021-1002 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2021
In WT_Interpolate of eas_wtengine.c, 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 not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-12Android ID: A-194533433
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-1002 resides within the WT_Interpolate function in the eas_wtengine.c file of Android's graphics rendering system. This flaw represents a classic out-of-bounds read condition that occurs when the system fails to validate array indices before accessing memory locations. The missing bounds check creates a scenario where malicious input can cause the application to read data from memory locations outside the intended buffer boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive information stored in adjacent memory regions. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient bounds checking, and represents a fundamental weakness in input validation that can lead to information disclosure and potential privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can be exploited remotely without requiring any additional execution privileges or user interaction. This means that an attacker can potentially access sensitive data from the device's memory without needing to compromise the device through other attack vectors. The vulnerability affects Android 12 systems and is identified by Android ID A-194533433, indicating its severity and the specific context in which it operates. The absence of user interaction requirements makes this particularly dangerous as it can be exploited automatically, potentially allowing attackers to gather device-specific information, memory contents, or other sensitive data that could be used for further exploitation attempts.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005 which involves data from local system. The remote exploitation capability means that threat actors can potentially leverage this flaw from external networks without requiring physical access to the device. The information disclosure aspect of this vulnerability could expose cryptographic keys, user credentials, application data, or other sensitive information stored in memory. The lack of additional privileges required for exploitation means that even basic mobile malware or web-based attacks could potentially harvest sensitive data from affected devices. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of bounds checking in graphics processing and rendering engines, where malformed input data can lead to significant security implications.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-1002 should focus on implementing proper bounds checking mechanisms within the WT_Interpolate function and similar graphics processing routines. System administrators and device manufacturers should prioritize applying the relevant security patches provided by Google as part of the Android security updates. The fix should ensure that all array access operations include proper validation of indices against buffer boundaries before any memory access occurs. Additionally, runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and stack canaries should be enabled to further reduce the exploitability of similar vulnerabilities. Organizations should also implement monitoring systems to detect unusual memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, and consider network-based intrusion detection systems to identify potential exploitation activities targeting this specific vulnerability.