CVE-2026-55343 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
In decodeAmr of ImsMediaAudioPlayer.cpp, there is a possible out-of-bounds write due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to remote code execution with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2026
The vulnerability identified in the decodeAmr function within ImsMediaAudioPlayer.cpp represents a critical memory safety defect characterized by an out-of-bounds write condition. This flaw stems from a fundamental failure to implement adequate bounds checking when processing audio data streams, specifically those utilizing Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) codec formats commonly employed in Voice over LTE and other IMS-based communication protocols. The absence of rigorous validation for buffer boundaries allows maliciously crafted input data to exceed the allocated memory space associated with the decoding operation. In software engineering terms, this aligns directly with CWE-787, which classifies out-of-bounds writes as a severe category of memory corruption vulnerabilities where data is written beyond the intended limits of a buffer, potentially overwriting adjacent memory structures such as return addresses, function pointers, or metadata critical to program execution flow.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses a significant risk because it can facilitate remote code execution without requiring elevated privileges on the target system. The attacker does not need administrative rights or special access levels to exploit this flaw; instead, exploitation relies primarily on user interaction. This typically involves tricking a victim into opening or playing a specially crafted AMR audio file through an application that utilizes the vulnerable ImsMediaAudioPlayer component. Once triggered, the malformed input causes the decoder to write data outside its designated memory region, which can be manipulated by an attacker to overwrite critical control structures within the process address space. This overwriting enables the injection and execution of arbitrary code under the context of the affected application, effectively granting the adversary full control over the compromised system's runtime environment.
The exploitation vector is further contextualized by its alignment with MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to initial access and privilege escalation via client-side attacks. Specifically, this scenario reflects patterns associated with CWE-20 Improper Input Validation combined with memory corruption exploits that target media processing libraries. The requirement for user interaction indicates that the vulnerability is not directly exploitable over a network without some form of social engineering or phishing component designed to deliver the malicious payload in an audio format compatible with the vulnerable decoder. This characteristic places it within the realm of client-side attacks where trust boundaries are bypassed through legitimate media processing pathways, making detection by standard perimeter security controls difficult as the traffic appears as normal multimedia content until execution occurs locally on the endpoint.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term defensive posture improvements. The primary technical fix involves implementing strict bounds checking within the decodeAmr function to ensure that all read and write operations remain strictly within the allocated buffer limits before processing any AMR data streams. Developers should integrate static analysis tools configured to detect memory safety violations into their continuous integration pipelines to catch such defects early in the development lifecycle. Additionally, adopting secure coding practices such as using safe string handling libraries or container-based abstractions that automatically manage bounds can prevent similar issues from arising. On the deployment side, organizations should apply vendor-provided patches promptly and consider deploying application whitelisting solutions to restrict the execution of untrusted binaries if exploitation occurs. Furthermore, enabling memory protection mechanisms like Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) and Data Execution Prevention (DEP) on target systems can significantly raise the barrier for successful code execution by making it harder for attackers to predict memory layouts and execute injected shellcode reliably.