CVE-2021-1044 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 12/15/2021
In eicOpsDecryptAes128Gcm of acropora/app/identity/identity_support.c, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android kernelAndroid ID: A-195570681References: N/A
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/18/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-1044 resides within the Android kernel's cryptographic operations, specifically in the eicOpsDecryptAes128Gcm function located in acropora/app/identity/identity_support.c. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that could enable local privilege escalation without requiring any additional execution privileges or user interaction for exploitation. The vulnerability stems from a missing bounds check during cryptographic operations, creating a potential out of bounds write condition that could be leveraged by malicious actors to gain elevated system privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the cryptographic decryption process where AES-128-GCM (Galois/Counter Mode) operations are performed. When processing encrypted data through the eicOpsDecryptAes128Gcm function, the code fails to validate the boundaries of memory operations before writing data to memory locations. This missing validation allows for potential buffer overflow conditions where data can be written beyond the allocated memory boundaries, potentially corrupting adjacent memory regions or overwriting critical system structures. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-129 as an "Improper Validation of Array Index" and falls within the broader category of memory safety issues that can lead to privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables local privilege escalation, meaning an attacker with limited system access could potentially elevate their privileges to full system level. This represents a significant threat in Android environments where the kernel handles critical security functions including identity management and cryptographic operations. The lack of requirement for user interaction makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited automatically without any user involvement. The vulnerability affects Android kernel versions and is tracked under Android ID A-195570681, indicating its severity and the need for immediate attention from device manufacturers and system administrators.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-1044 should focus on immediate patching of affected Android kernel versions to address the missing bounds check in the cryptographic operations. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring for unusual privilege escalation attempts and ensure that all devices are updated with the latest security patches from their manufacturers. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework as a privilege escalation technique means that defensive measures should include runtime monitoring of kernel memory operations and implementation of exploit prevention mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their Android environments to identify any potential exploitation attempts and establish robust incident response procedures for handling such critical vulnerabilities. The fix typically involves adding proper bounds checking mechanisms to validate memory operations before allowing data to be written to allocated memory regions, preventing the out of bounds write condition that enables the privilege escalation attack.