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CVE-2017-0434 Google CVE debrief

CVE-2017-0434 is a high-severity Android elevation-of-privilege issue affecting the Synaptics touchscreen driver. According to the CVE description, a local malicious application could execute arbitrary code within the context of the touchscreen chipset, with the rating reflecting that exploitation first requires compromising a privileged process. Google’s Android security bulletin lists a patch for the issue, and NVD maps affected configurations to Android versions up to 7.1.1 and Linux kernel 3.18.

Vendor
Google
Product
CVE-2017-0434
CVSS
HIGH 7
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2017-02-08
Original CVE updated
2026-05-13
Advisory published
2017-02-08
Advisory updated
2026-05-13

Who should care

Android OEMs, device maintainers, and fleet operators that ship or manage devices using the affected Synaptics touchscreen driver, especially systems aligned with Android Kernel 3.18 or Android versions up to 7.1.1. Security teams should also care where local-app privilege boundaries are critical.

Technical summary

The vulnerability is described as an elevation of privilege in the Synaptics touchscreen driver. NVD’s vector indicates a local attack (AV:L), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges required at the vulnerable component boundary (PR:N), and user interaction required (UI:R). The impact is modeled as high for confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The source corpus does not provide a CWE with precision beyond NVD-CWE-noinfo, so the exact code flaw type is not specified in the available records. The vendor reference in the Android security bulletin indicates a patch was issued for the affected Android platform.

Defensive priority

High. The issue is locally exploitable but can yield arbitrary code execution in a privileged chipset context, so it deserves prompt patching on any affected Android build or kernel package.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Apply the Android security bulletin update referenced for 2017-02-01 on affected devices.
  • Update or replace affected firmware/kernel builds that include the vulnerable Synaptics touchscreen driver.
  • Prioritize remediation for devices running Android Kernel 3.18 or Android builds at or below the NVD-listed affected range.
  • Validate that OEM and carrier firmware images include the patched touchscreen driver, not just the base Android platform update.
  • Treat the issue as a privilege-boundary bypass risk and review local-app hardening on affected fleets.
  • Confirm exposure by inventorying device models and firmware versions that use Synaptics touchscreen components.

Evidence notes

The CVE record and NVD detail identify the issue as an Android elevation-of-privilege vulnerability involving the Synaptics touchscreen driver. The Android security bulletin reference provides vendor-published patch context. NVD’s affected CPE criteria include Android versions through 7.1.1 and Linux kernel 3.18. The record was published on 2017-02-08T15:59:01.487Z and last modified on 2026-05-13T00:24:29.033Z; those dates are used here only as disclosure and record-maintenance context.

Official resources

Publicly disclosed in the CVE record on 2017-02-08, with vendor patch reference in the Android Security Bulletin dated 2017-02-01. This debrief uses the CVE publication date and NVD modification date only as timeline context.