CVE-2023-21380 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2023
In Bluetooth, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a heap buffer overflow. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with System execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21380 represents a critical heap buffer overflow flaw within the Bluetooth subsystem of affected operating systems. This issue manifests as an out of bounds write condition that occurs when processing Bluetooth-related data structures in memory. The vulnerability resides in the heap management routines responsible for handling Bluetooth protocol communications and data packet processing. The flaw allows an attacker to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries of heap allocated buffers, potentially corrupting adjacent memory regions and compromising system stability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it under CWE-121, heap-based buffer overflow, which is classified as a severe memory safety issue. The vulnerability affects the Bluetooth stack implementation where insufficient bounds checking occurs during memory allocation and data copying operations. When Bluetooth protocol data is received or processed, the system fails to validate the size or boundaries of incoming data before writing it to heap-allocated memory regions. This lack of proper input validation creates a pathway for malicious data to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk for local privilege escalation attacks. The flaw requires system execution privileges for exploitation, meaning that an attacker must already have some level of access to the system before leveraging this vulnerability. However, the absence of user interaction requirements makes this particularly concerning as it can be exploited automatically without requiring user engagement or specific actions. The local nature of the attack means that an attacker with user-level access could potentially escalate their privileges to system level, gaining full control over the device's operations and access to sensitive data. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, and represents a common vector for attackers seeking to establish persistent system-level access.
The impact of CVE-2023-21380 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can potentially lead to complete system compromise. When heap corruption occurs due to this buffer overflow, it may result in crashes, data corruption, or more critically, provide attackers with opportunities to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability affects systems that utilize Bluetooth functionality and have Bluetooth services running, which includes virtually all modern mobile devices, laptops, desktop computers, and IoT devices. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in their security assessment frameworks and implement immediate mitigations. The exploitation of this vulnerability could enable attackers to access sensitive system information, modify system files, establish backdoors, or perform other malicious activities that compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the affected systems. Mitigation strategies should include applying vendor security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit Bluetooth exposure, and monitoring for unusual Bluetooth activity that might indicate exploitation attempts.