CVE-2018-9413
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2018-9413 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Android's Bluetooth stack that could allow remote code execution when processing Bluetooth AVRCP notifications. This affects Android devices with Bluetooth enabled, requiring user interaction for exploitation. The vulnerability is present in Android versions before the July 2018 security patch.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android
📦 What is this software?
Android by Google
Android by Google
Android by Google
Android by Google
Android by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote attacker gains full control of the device through remote code execution, potentially installing malware, stealing data, or creating persistent backdoors.
Likely Case
Device crash or instability leading to denial of service, with potential for limited code execution in constrained memory space.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched or Bluetooth disabled; limited impact if exploit attempts are blocked by network segmentation.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires proximity to target device and user interaction to accept Bluetooth pairing/connection.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Android security patch level July 2018 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/docs/security/bulletin/pixel/2018-07-01
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Check for system updates in Settings > System > Advanced > System update. 2. Install July 2018 or later Android security patch. 3. Verify patch installation in Settings > About phone > Android security patch level.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Bluetooth
allTurn off Bluetooth when not in use to prevent exploitation attempts
adb shell settings put global bluetooth_on 0
Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Bluetooth > Toggle off
Restrict Bluetooth Pairing
allOnly pair with trusted devices and reject unknown connection requests
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable Bluetooth completely on affected devices
- Implement network segmentation to isolate vulnerable devices from critical systems
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android security patch level in Settings > About phone > Android security patch level. If date is before July 2018, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Android security patch level shows July 2018 or later date.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Bluetooth stack crashes in logcat
- AVRCP protocol errors
- Unexpected Bluetooth connection attempts from unknown devices
Network Indicators:
- Unusual Bluetooth traffic patterns
- Multiple failed Bluetooth pairing attempts
SIEM Query:
source="android_logs" AND ("btif_rc" OR "AVRCP" OR "Bluetooth stack crash")