AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2017-11050

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2017-10-10
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
Zero-click

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 · unedited
In Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android, with all Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, when the pktlogconf tool gives a pktlog buffer of size less than the minimal possible source data size in the host driver, a buffer overflow can potentially occur.

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 · moderate confidence

A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the pktlogconf tool within Android CAF Linux kernel builds for MSM (Mobile Station Modem) platforms. When the pktlog buffer size is configured smaller than the minimal required source data size handled by the host driver, the tool can write beyond allocated buffer boundaries, leading to potential memory corruption.

MitigationApply the vendor patch to enforce proper buffer size validation in pktlogconf, ensuring the buffer meets minimum size requirements before any data operations; verify the pktlog driver rejects undersized buffer allocations.

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
AndroidOperating system
Affected:= 8.0

CVSS 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
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm Android version is 8.0
    Check system property 'ro.build.version.release' via 'getprop ro.build.version.release' or settings menu About Phone
    Affected if Version is not 8.0, the specific vulnerability in this CVE does not apply
  2. Verify pktlogconf binary exists
    Locate the pktlogconf tool on the system using 'find / -name pktlogconf 2>/dev/null' or check common paths like /system/bin/, /vendor/bin/
    Affected if The tool is not present on the device, the vulnerability cannot be triggered
  3. Check if pktlog kernel driver is loaded
    Examine loaded kernel modules via 'lsmod' or check /proc/modules for pktlog module, or check /sys/kernel/debug/pktlog if available
    Affected if Pktlog driver is not loaded or available, the vulnerable code path is not exercised
  4. Inspect pktlog buffer configuration
    Check pktlog configuration files or runtime settings - look for buffer size parameters in /sys/module/pktlog/parameters/ or use 'pktlogconf -s' to query current settings
    Affected if Buffer size is configured smaller than the minimal required source data size handled by the host driver, triggering the overflow condition
  5. Review pktlog trace output for corruption indicators
    Examine pktlog output logs or trace buffers for signs of memory corruption, buffer overruns, or unexpected data patterns
    Affected if Unexpected memory patterns appear in pktlog output, indicating potential buffer overflow has occurred

The environment is affected only if running Android 8.0 with the pktlogconf tool present, pktlog driver loaded, and an undersized buffer configuration that triggers the boundary overflow condition.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

From vendor data
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the vendor patch to enforce proper buffer size validation in pktlogconf, ensuring the buffer meets minimum size requirements before any data operations; verify the pktlog driver rejects undersized buffer allocations.

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing6.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
22.0 hours of engineering $3,860
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2017-11050 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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