CVE-2017-18074 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Android devices with Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear processors are vulnerable to an assert issue when playing .wma files with modified media headers.

Understanding CVE-2017-18074

This CVE affects Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear devices running Android versions before the security patch level of 2018-04-05.

What is CVE-2017-18074?

In Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear devices, a vulnerability exists that allows an assert to be reached when playing .wma files with altered media headers.

The Impact of CVE-2017-18074

The vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker to trigger an assert, potentially leading to a denial of service or arbitrary code execution.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-18074

Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear devices running Android versions before 2018-04-05 are susceptible to this issue.

Vulnerability Description

Playing a .wma file with a modified media header containing a non-standard value for the bytes per second parameter can trigger an assert.

Affected Systems and Versions

Products: Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Wear
Versions: MDM9607, MDM9625, MDM9635M, MDM9640, MDM9645, MDM9650, MDM9655, MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SD 835

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a .wma file with a modified media header to trigger the assert.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take:

Apply the security patch level of 2018-04-05 or later to mitigate this vulnerability.
Avoid playing untrusted .wma files on affected devices.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update devices with the latest security patches.
Exercise caution when downloading and playing media files from untrusted sources.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that devices are regularly updated with the latest security patches to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.