CVE-2017-0416 Google CVE debrief

Who should care

Android security teams, OEM/carrier patch managers, and organizations managing Android fleets should prioritize this issue on any device running the affected versions, especially where untrusted app installation is possible.

Technical summary

The supplied CVE description states that the flaw is in audioserver and can let a local malicious application execute arbitrary code within a privileged process context. NVD assigns CVSS 3.0 vector CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, indicating local attack conditions, required user interaction, and high potential impact. The record also maps the issue to CWE-787 (out-of-bounds write). The supplied description lists Android 4.4.4, 5.0.2, 5.1.1, 6.0, 6.0.1, 7.0, and 7.1.1, while NVD CPE criteria enumerate affected Android releases from 4.0 through 7.1.1.

Defensive priority

High — prioritize OS patching and fleet verification quickly, because the issue can elevate a local malicious app into a privileged process context and has high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.

Recommended defensive actions

• Apply the relevant Android security update from the vendor bulletin referenced in the record as soon as it is available for each device line.
• Verify device patch levels across your Android fleet, including OEM- and carrier-specific builds, to ensure the fix is actually deployed.
• Restrict installation of untrusted or sideloaded apps on unpatched devices until remediation is complete.
• Treat this as an operating-system-level issue: app-level controls alone are not a substitute for patching the platform.

Evidence notes

All claims in this debrief come from the supplied CVE/NVD record and its referenced Android bulletin. The CVE description provides the audioserver impact statement, affected Android versions, and the local malicious app scenario; the NVD entry provides the CVSS vector, CWE-787 mapping, and affected CPE criteria. Timeline context uses the CVE published date of 2017-02-08 and the Android bulletin reference dated 2017-02-01; the 2026 modification date in the source is not treated as the issue date. No exploit code, weaponized reproduction steps, or unsupported exposure claims are included.

Official resources