CVE-2015-2004
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in GraceNote GNSDK SDK for Android allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by exploiting improper pointer handling in a Serializable class's finalize method. Attackers can pass controlled pointers to native functions, potentially leading to remote code execution. Affects Android applications using vulnerable versions of the GraceNote SDK.
💻 Affected Systems
- GraceNote GNSDK SDK for Android
📦 What is this software?
Gnsdk by Gracenote
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system compromise with remote code execution, allowing attackers to install malware, steal data, or gain persistent access to affected devices.
Likely Case
Application compromise leading to data theft, privilege escalation, or installation of malicious payloads on vulnerable Android devices.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper sandboxing and application isolation are in place, potentially containing the exploit to the affected application.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires crafting malicious serialized objects and understanding the SDK's native function calls. Public research papers demonstrate the attack methodology.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: SVN Changeset 1.1.7 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://alephsecurity.com/vulns/aleph-2015005
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update GraceNote GNSDK SDK to version 1.1.7 or later. 2. Rebuild and redeploy affected Android applications. 3. Test application functionality after update.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable GraceNote SDK
allRemove or disable the GraceNote SDK integration from affected applications
Remove GraceNote SDK dependencies from build.gradle
Remove GraceNote API calls from application code
Application Sandboxing
androidImplement strict application sandboxing and permission restrictions
Review and minimize Android permissions in AndroidManifest.xml
Implement runtime permission checks
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate affected applications in separate security containers or virtual environments
- Implement network segmentation to limit communication from vulnerable applications
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if application uses GraceNote GNSDK SDK version earlier than 1.1.7. Review build dependencies and SDK integration code.Check Version:
Check build.gradle for GraceNote SDK version or inspect SDK files for version informationVerify Fix Applied:
Verify GraceNote GNSDK SDK version is 1.1.7 or later in application dependencies. Test serialization/deserialization functionality.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected native function calls from GraceNote components
- Serialization/deserialization errors or anomalies
- Memory access violations in application logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network traffic from GraceNote SDK components
- Connections to unexpected external servers
SIEM Query:
source="android_app" AND (process="GraceNote" OR component="GNSDK") AND (event="memory_violation" OR event="native_call")