CVE-2023-21182 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 06/28/2023
In Exynos_parsing_user_data_registered_itu_t_t35 of VendorVideoAPI.cpp, there is a possible out of bounds read due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local information disclosure with System execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-13Android ID: A-252764175
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21182 resides within the Exynos_parsing_user_data_registered_itu_t_t35 function of the VendorVideoAPI.cpp file in Android 13 systems. This issue represents a critical out-of-bounds read condition that emerges from the absence of proper bounds checking mechanisms. The flaw specifically affects the handling of user data within the ITU-T T.35 standard parsing functionality, which is commonly used for video data processing and metadata extraction in mobile devices. The vulnerability manifests when the system attempts to parse user data structures without validating array boundaries or buffer limits, creating a scenario where memory access occurs beyond allocated memory regions.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-129, which describes implementations of bounds checking that are insufficient or missing entirely. The flaw operates at the kernel level within the Android media processing framework, specifically within the vendor-specific video API implementation that interfaces with Exynos hardware components. This type of vulnerability falls under the ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for Command and Scripting Interpreter: Python, though more accurately represents a memory corruption primitive that could enable privilege escalation. The missing bounds check allows an attacker to potentially read beyond allocated memory segments, which could expose sensitive kernel memory contents including cryptographic keys, system credentials, or other confidential information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it requires only system execution privileges for exploitation, meaning that any process running with system-level privileges could potentially trigger the out-of-bounds read. This could occur during normal video processing operations when the system encounters malformed user data in ITU-T T.35 format. The information disclosure aspect poses a severe risk to system security, as it could expose sensitive data that might be used to further compromise the device or extract confidential information from the kernel memory space. The vulnerability does not require user interaction, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited automatically during routine media processing tasks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper bounds checking mechanisms within the VendorVideoAPI.cpp file, specifically within the Exynos_parsing_user_data_registered_itu_t_t35 function. The recommended approach involves adding comprehensive input validation that verifies array indices and buffer sizes before any memory access operations occur. System administrators should ensure that all Android 13 devices receive timely security updates from their vendors, as this vulnerability affects the core media processing framework. Additionally, implementing runtime memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and memory access controls can provide additional defense-in-depth layers. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices in kernel-level components and highlights the need for thorough code reviews focusing on memory management and input validation in vendor-specific implementations.