CVE-2026-58953 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 11/02/2026
In dec_vlc_read of oapv_vlc.c, there is a possible out-of-bounds read due to a heap buffer overflow. This could lead to remote information disclosure with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2026
The vulnerability identified in the dec_vlc_read function within oapv_vlc.c represents a critical security flaw characterized by an out-of-bounds read resulting from a heap buffer overflow. This specific type of memory corruption occurs when the application attempts to access data at a memory address that lies beyond the allocated boundaries of a heap-allocated buffer. In the context of video decoding, Variable Length Coding (VLC) is commonly used for compressing visual data streams. The decoder must parse these compressed bitstreams efficiently, often relying on lookup tables or direct pointer arithmetic to extract symbol values. When the input stream contains malformed or maliciously crafted VLC codes that exceed expected limits, the logic within dec_vlc_read fails to validate the resulting memory access against the actual size of the allocated buffer. Consequently, the program reads from adjacent heap memory regions rather than stopping at the buffer boundary. This behavior is a classic manifestation of CWE-125, which defines out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities where software reads data past the end or before the beginning of the intended buffer.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for remote information disclosure without requiring user interaction or elevated privileges. Because video decoding processes are often integrated into network-facing services such as media servers, streaming platforms, or communication applications, an attacker can trigger this flaw by sending a specially crafted malicious video stream over the network. The absence of required user interaction significantly lowers the barrier to exploitation, allowing for automated attacks where victims may be compromised simply by visiting a webpage that auto-plays the malicious content or through background processing in a media application. The heap buffer overflow allows an attacker to read sensitive data stored in adjacent memory locations on the heap. This could include private keys, authentication tokens, session identifiers, or other confidential information belonging to the user or the system running the vulnerable software. Such unauthorized access violates the confidentiality principle of security and can serve as a stepping stone for more complex attacks, including privilege escalation if combined with other vulnerabilities.
From an offensive security perspective, this vulnerability aligns closely with techniques found in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to initial access and credential harvesting. The ability to perform remote code execution or information disclosure via malformed media files is often categorized under tactics such as Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190) if it leads to broader compromise, or Data from Information Repositories (T1213) if the primary goal is data exfiltration. Attackers may leverage this flaw in conjunction with other techniques like Drive-by Code Execution (T1189), where a victim visits a compromised website hosting the malicious video file. The lack of execution privileges needed further exacerbates the risk, as it means that even sandboxed or restricted environments might be breached if memory isolation mechanisms are insufficiently configured or bypassable through side-channel effects inherent in heap overflows.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term defensive posture improvements. The primary technical fix involves rigorous input validation within the dec_vlc_read function to ensure that all read operations remain strictly within the bounds of the allocated buffer. Developers should implement boundary checks before any pointer arithmetic or array indexing occurs, ensuring that indices calculated from VLC data do not exceed the maximum allowable size. Additionally, employing static analysis tools and dynamic fuzzing during the software development lifecycle can help identify similar logic errors in other parts of the decoder. On a broader architectural level, enabling memory protection mechanisms such as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), Heap Canaries, and Data Execution Prevention (DEP) can mitigate the exploitability of this flaw by making it harder for attackers to predict memory layouts or execute arbitrary code derived from the leaked information. Regular security audits focusing on C/C++ memory management practices are essential to prevent recurrence of such out-of-bounds access issues in low-level system components.