Android Security

Google releases March 2018 Android Security Bulletin and Google Device Images

Google has released the March 2018 Android Security Bulletin. Partners have had access to the warnings in this month’s bulletin for at least a month.

The March bulletin has two security patch levels to provide Android partners with the flexibility to more quickly fix a subset of vulnerabilities that are similar across all Android devices.

  • 2018-03-01: Partial security patch level string. This security patch level string indicates that all issues associated with 2018-03-01 (and all previous security patch level strings) are addressed.
  • 2018-03-05: Complete security patch level string. This security patch level address all issues associated with the 2018-03-05 security patch level and all previous patch levels.

The most severe of these issues is a critical security vulnerability in Media framework that could enable a remote attacker using a specially crafted file to execute arbitrary code within the context of a privileged process. The severity assessment is based on the effect that exploiting the vulnerability would possibly have on an affected device, assuming the platform and service mitigations are turned off for development purposes or if successfully bypassed.

Alongside the bulletin, Google have released a security update to Google devices through an over-the-air (OTA) update. The Google device firmware images have also been released to the Google Developer site. Security patch levels of March 05, 2018 or later address all of these issues.

The tables below contains a list of security vulnerabilities, the Common Vulnerability and Exposures ID (CVE), the assessed severity, and whether or not Google devices are affected. The severity assessment is based on the effect that exploiting the vulnerability would possibly have on an affected device, assuming the platform and service mitigations are disabled for development purposes or if successfully bypassed.

Android and Google Service Mitigations

This is a summary of the mitigations provided by the Android security platform and service protections such as Google Play Protect. These capabilities reduce the likelihood that security vulnerabilities could be successfully exploited on Android.

  • Exploitation for many issues on Android is made more difficult by enhancements in newer versions of the Android platform. All users are encouraged to update to the latest version of Android where possible.
  • The Android security team actively monitors for abuse through Google Play Protect and warns users about Potentially Harmful Applications. Google Play Protect is enabled by default on devices with Google Mobile Services, and is especially important for users who install apps from outside of Google Play.

2018-03-01 security patch level—Vulnerability details

Media framework

The most severe vulnerability in this section could enable a remote attacker using a specially crafted file to execute arbitrary code within the context of a privileged process.

CVE References Type Severity Updated AOSP versions
CVE-2017-13248 A-70349612 RCE Critical 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13249 A-70399408 RCE Critical 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13250 A-71375536 RCE Critical 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13251 A-69269702 EoP Critical 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13252 A-70526702 EoP High 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13253 A-71389378 EoP High 8.0, 8.1

System

The most severe vulnerability in this section could enable a proximate attacker to execute arbitrary code within the context of a privileged process.

CVE References Type Severity Updated AOSP versions
CVE-2017-13255 A-68776054 RCE Critical 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13256 A-68817966 RCE Critical 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13272 A-67110137 RCE Critical 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13266 A-69478941 RCE Critical 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13257 A-67110692 ID High 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13258 A-67863755 ID High 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13259 A-68161546 ID High 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13260 A-69177251 ID High 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13261 A-69177292 ID High 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1
CVE-2017-13262 A-69271284 ID High 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1

2018-03-05 security patch level—Vulnerability details

Kernel components

The most severe vulnerability in this section could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of a privileged process.

CVE References Type Severity Component
CVE-2017-16530 A-69051940
Upstream kernel
EoP High UAS driver
CVE-2017-16525 A-69050921
Upstream kernel
EoP High USB driver
CVE-2017-16535 A-69052675
Upstream kernel
ID High USB driver
CVE-2017-16533 A-69052348
Upstream kernel
ID High USB driver
CVE-2017-16531 A-69052055
Upstream kernel
ID High USB driver
CVE-2017-16529 A-69051731
Upstream kernel
ID High USB sound driver

NVIDIA components

The most severe vulnerability in this section could enable a local malicious application to execute arbitrary code within the context of a privileged process.

CVE References Type Severity Component
CVE-2017-6281 A-66969318
N-CVE-2017-6281
EoP High Libnvomx
CVE-2017-6286 A-64893247
N-CVE-2017-6286
EoP High Libnvomx

Qualcomm components

The most severe vulnerability in this section could enable a remote attacker using a specially crafted file to execute arbitrary code within the context of a privileged process.

CVE References Type Severity Component
CVE-2017-18067 A-68992411
QC-CR#2081734
RCE Critical Wireless network driver
CVE-2017-15815 A-68992395
QC-CR#2093392
RCE Critical WLAN
CVE-2017-18068 A-70799990
QC-CR#2072064
EoP High WLAN
CVE-2017-18056 A-70237692
QC-CR#2119404
EoP High WLAN
CVE-2017-18063 A-68992442
QC-CR#2114776
EoP High WLAN
CVE-2017-18064 A-68992438
QC-CR#2114323
EoP High WLAN
CVE-2017-15821 A-68992432
QC-CR#2113072
EoP High WLAN
CVE-2017-14885 A-70237686
QC-CR#2113758
EoP High WLAN
CVE-2017-18069 A-67582682
QC-CR#2054772 QC-CR#2058471
ID High WLAN
CVE-2017-14882 A-68992424
QC-CR#2101439
ID High WLAN
CVE-2017-14878 A-70237706
QC-CR#2064580
DoS High Wireless network driver

Qualcomm closed-source components

These vulnerabilities affect Qualcomm components and are described in further detail in the appropriate Qualcomm AMSS security bulletin or security alert. The severity assessment of these issues is provided directly by Qualcomm.

CVE References Type Severity Component
CVE-2017-17773 A-70221445 QC-CR#2125554 N/A Critical Closed-source component
CVE-2016-10393 A-68326806 QC-CR#1055934 N/A High Closed-source component

 

Full details of the March 2018 Android Security Bulletin are available here.