CVE-2017-0451 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability has been found in the Qualcomm sound driver in Android's Kernel-3.10 and Kernel-3.18 versions, allowing a local malicious application to access unauthorized data. This CVE was published on February 8, 2017.

Understanding CVE-2017-0451

This CVE affects Android devices running Kernel-3.10 and Kernel-3.18, impacting the security of the Qualcomm sound driver.

What is CVE-2017-0451?

This CVE identifies an information disclosure vulnerability in the Qualcomm sound driver, enabling local malicious apps to breach permission boundaries.

The Impact of CVE-2017-0451

The severity of this vulnerability is moderate as it necessitates compromising a privileged process to exploit. It affects Android versions Kernel-3.10 and Kernel-3.18, potentially leading to unauthorized data access.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-0451

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows local malicious applications to access data beyond their authorized permissions by exploiting the Qualcomm sound driver in Android's Kernel-3.10 and Kernel-3.18 versions.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Android
Vendor: Google Inc.
Affected Versions: Kernel-3.10, Kernel-3.18

Exploitation Mechanism

The exploitation of this vulnerability requires the initial compromise of a privileged process, enabling local malicious apps to breach permission boundaries.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2017-0451 is crucial to maintaining data security.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update affected Android devices to the latest security patches provided by Google.
Regularly monitor for security bulletins and updates related to this vulnerability.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strict app permission policies to restrict unauthorized data access.
Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing to identify and address vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches promptly to mitigate the risk of exploitation and unauthorized data access.