CVE-2016-2428
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedlibAACdec/src/aacdec_drc.cpp in mediaserver in Android 4.x before 4.4.4, 5.0.x before 5.0.2, 5.1.x before 5.1.1, and 6.x before 2016-05-01 does not properly limit the number of threads, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (stack memory corruption) via a crafted media file, aka internal bug 26751339.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceA vulnerability in the AAC decoder's Dynamic Range Control (DRC) component in Android's mediaserver allows unlimited thread creation via crafted media files. This uncontrolled thread spawning causes stack memory corruption, enabling remote code execution or denial of service. The issue stems from missing thread count validation in libAACdec/src/aacdec_drc.cpp.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 4.0= 4.0.1= 4.0.2= 4.0.3= 4.0.4= 4.1= 4.1.2= 4.2= 4.2.1= 4.2.2= 4.3= 4.3.1CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check Android versionRun 'getprop ro.build.version.release' or check Settings > About Phone > Android versionAffected if The version is 4.0, 4.0.1, 4.0.2, 4.0.3, 4.0.4, 4.1, 4.1.2, 4.2, 4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.3, or 4.3.1
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Confirm mediaserver is presentCheck if the mediaserver process is running using 'ps | grep mediaserver' or check /system/lib/libAACdec.so existsAffected if The mediaserver process is active and libAACdec library exists on the device
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Identify if AAC media processing occursMonitor for AAC file processing or check if apps that handle AAC audio are in use (e.g., music players, video players)Affected if The device processes AAC-encoded media files with DRC metadata
A device is affected if it runs Android versions 4.0 through 4.3.1 and processes crafted AAC media files through mediaserver.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scopedApply the official Android security patches for May 2016 or later (4.4.4, 5.0.2, 5.1.1, or the 2016-05-01 patch for Android 6.x). Until patches are applied, avoid processing untrusted media files.
Android 4.4.4 (KitKat) or later; for broader coverage, upgrade to Android 5.0.2+, 5.1.1+, or 6.x with May 2016 security patch
- 1. Back up all critical data on the device to prevent data loss during the upgrade process.
- 2. Verify your current Android version is 4.0, 4.0.1, 4.0.2, or 4.0.3 by navigating to Settings > About Phone > Android version.
- 3. Connect the device to a stable Wi-Fi network and ensure the battery is charged above 50%.
- 4. Check for system updates by going to Settings > About Phone > System Updates or Settings > System > Software Update.
- 5. Download and install the available update. The device will restart during the installation process.
- 6. After the update completes, verify the device is running Android 4.4.4 or later by checking Settings > About Phone > Android version.
- 7. Alternatively, if the device manufacturer provides a firmware update, download the latest available stock ROM for your specific device model that includes the May 2016 security patch level.
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation8.0 h
- Implementation24.0 h
- Testing16.0 h
- Review / QA8.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2016-2428 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-2428 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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