CVE-2024-27209 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 03/11/2024
In TBD of TBD, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a heap buffer overflow. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-27209 represents a critical heap buffer overflow condition that exists within a specific software component designated as TBD. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and is particularly dangerous due to its potential for privilege escalation without requiring any additional user privileges or interaction. The out of bounds write condition occurs when the software attempts to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries of a heap-allocated buffer, creating a scenario where adjacent memory regions can be overwritten or corrupted.
The technical flaw manifests as a heap buffer overflow that arises from inadequate bounds checking during memory operations. When the vulnerable software processes input data or executes specific code paths, it fails to validate the size of data being written to heap memory regions. This validation failure allows an attacker to potentially overwrite critical memory locations including function pointers, return addresses, or other control data structures. The vulnerability's classification as a heap buffer overflow aligns with CWE-121 which specifically addresses stack and heap buffer overflow conditions, though the heap variant presents unique challenges due to the dynamic nature of heap memory management and the difficulty in predicting memory layout.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data corruption, as it enables local privilege escalation without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. This means that any local user with access to the vulnerable system can potentially exploit the flaw to elevate their privileges to that of the system administrator or root user. The lack of requirement for user interaction makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where local access is common or where attackers can leverage other initial access vectors to gain local presence. The exploitability characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Local Privilege Escalation' and specifically addresses methods that do not require user interaction or additional execution privileges.
The implications of this vulnerability are severe as it allows attackers to gain unauthorized administrative access to systems, potentially enabling them to install malware, modify system configurations, access sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors. The heap buffer overflow can be exploited through various attack vectors including crafted input data, memory manipulation techniques, or by leveraging the specific code paths that trigger the vulnerable memory operations. The vulnerability's nature as a local privilege escalation vector means that even systems with strong network security controls can be compromised if an attacker can gain local access through other means such as phishing attacks, compromised credentials, or physical access. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper memory bounds checking, utilizing address space layout randomization, and employing stack canaries or other memory protection mechanisms to prevent exploitation of such buffer overflow conditions.