CVE-2021-0555
📋 TL;DR
This CVE describes a null pointer dereference vulnerability in Android's protostream_objectsource.cc component. An attacker can remotely crash affected Android devices without requiring user interaction or special privileges. Only Android 11 devices are affected by this vulnerability.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android
📦 What is this software?
Android by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote denial of service causing device instability or crashes, potentially disrupting device functionality until reboot.
Likely Case
Remote denial of service causing application or system component crashes, requiring device reboot to restore normal operation.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched; unpatched devices remain vulnerable to remote DoS attacks.
🎯 Exploit Status
No authentication or user interaction required for exploitation. The vulnerability is in a system component that could be triggered remotely.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Android Security Patch Level 2021-06-01 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel/2021-06-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for system updates in Settings > System > System update. 2. Install the June 2021 Android security patch or later. 3. Reboot the device after installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
No effective workarounds
allThis is a core system vulnerability requiring patching. No configuration changes or workarounds are available.
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate affected devices from untrusted networks
- Monitor for abnormal crashes or instability in Android system components
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android version in Settings > About phone > Android version. If it shows Android 11 without June 2021 security patch, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.release && adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Android Security Patch Level in Settings > About phone > Android version. Should show 'Android security patch level: 2021-06-01' or later.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected crashes in system processes
- Null pointer exception logs in system logs
- ANR (Application Not Responding) reports for system components
Network Indicators:
- Unusual network traffic patterns targeting Android devices
- Multiple connection attempts to system services
SIEM Query:
source="android_logs" AND ("null pointer" OR "segmentation fault" OR "protostream_objectsource")