Title :Stagefright Vulnerability in Android Phones

Blogger :पूजा

SUbject :Information Security Awareness

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Stagefright Vulnerability: A simple smartphone exploit that doesn’t require the user to do anything other

than receive a text message. Named Stagefright, it is a media library that processes several popular

media formats. Since media processing is often time-sensitive, the library is implemented in native code

(C++) that is more prone to memory corruption than memory-safe languages like Java .These issues in

Stagefright code critically expose 95% of Android devices, an estimated 950 million devices.

Severity:
HIGH

Impact:
Attackers require only the mobile number, using which they can remotely execute code via a specially

crafted media file delivered via MMS.

Remote code execution allows sophisticated attackers to execute privilege escalation attacks, which

allow the attacker to change roles on the device – providing unfettered control: access to read the victim’s

emails, Facebook/whatsapp messages and contacts, access data from other applications or use the

device as a pivot into the customers’ network and cloud applications.

Affected Application:

• Android operating systems 2.2 and later are vulnerable to related attacks.

• Android’s Jelly Bean version 4.1-4.3.1 is at high risk for exploitation due to lack of exploit mitigation.

Solution
Update your device: Kindly update to latest patch/version when available

Disable Auto-fetching of MMS: Kindly disable Auto-fetching MMS for both Hangout and regular

messaging apps.

HANGOUT: DISABLE AUTO FETCHING MMS:

1. Open Hangout

2. Tap Options on the top left corner

3. Tap Settings -> SMS

4. In General, If you have Hangout SMS Enabled then in the Advanced uncheck Auto Retrieve MMS

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