CVE-2021-0325
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected Android devices through a heap buffer overflow in the H.264 video parsing component. Attackers can achieve remote code execution without requiring additional privileges, though user interaction is needed for exploitation. All Android devices running versions 8.1 through 11 are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android
📦 What is this software?
Android by Google
Android by Google
Android by Google
Android by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete device compromise allowing attackers to install malware, steal sensitive data, or join devices to botnets.
Likely Case
Malicious apps exploiting this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges and perform unauthorized actions.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if devices are patched and have security controls like app sandboxing and exploit mitigations enabled.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires user interaction (such as opening a malicious video file) and bypassing Android's security mitigations.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Android Security Bulletin February 2021 patches
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2021-02-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for system updates in Settings > System > Advanced > System update. 2. Install the February 2021 Android security patch. 3. Reboot device after installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable automatic media processing
androidPrevent automatic parsing of H.264 video files by untrusted applications
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict installation of untrusted applications from unknown sources
- Use mobile device management (MDM) to enforce security policies and application whitelisting
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android version in Settings > About phone > Android version. If version is 8.1, 9, 10, or 11 without February 2021 security patch, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Android security patch level in Settings > About phone > Android security patch level shows February 2021 or later.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Crash logs from media parsing processes
- Unexpected process terminations in system logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network traffic from media applications
- Suspicious video file downloads
SIEM Query:
source="android_system" AND (process="media" OR process="video") AND event="crash"