dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2017-14917

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.0 Published 2017-12-05
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges 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, buffer sizes in the message passing interface are not properly validated.

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 confidence

This is a kernel-level buffer validation vulnerability in the Message Passing Interface (MPI) within Android devices using Qualcomm MSM chipsets (Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android). The lack of proper buffer size validation allows memory corruption, potentially leading to remote code execution. The 9.8 CVSS indicates network-exploitable, unauthenticated attacks achieving complete system compromise.

MitigationApply the vendor-specific kernel/security patch from Qualcomm/CAF and device manufacturers. Users should apply monthly security patches from their Android device vendors; this is a low-level firmware issue that cannot be mitigated at the application layer.

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:all versions

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
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 checks

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

  1. Identify your device chipset
    Check /proc/cpuinfo or system settings under 'About Phone' > 'Chipset' or 'Hardware' to determine if the device uses a Qualcomm MSM chipset. Alternatively, check the output of 'getprop ro.hardware' or 'cat /proc/device-tree/model' on rooted devices.
    Affected if The device is NOT using a Qualcomm MSM chipset (this vulnerability only affects devices with Qualcomm MSM processors).
  2. Determine the kernel version
    Run 'uname -a' or 'cat /proc/version' to retrieve the running kernel version. Compare this against the patch date provided in your device's monthly security bulletin.
    Affected if The kernel version predates the month when the CVE-2017-14917 patch was applied in your device's security update (check your device vendor's security patch level under Settings > About Phone > Security Patch Level).
  3. Verify the MPI subsystem presence
    Check for the presence of MPI-related kernel modules or drivers. On Android, you can examine /proc/modules or use 'lsmod' if available. Look for modules named 'mpi', 'msm_mpi', or similar MPI-related drivers.
    Affected if The MPI subsystem is loaded and the device runs a Qualcomm MSM chipset with an unpatched kernel.
  4. Check security patch level
    Navigate to Settings > About Phone > Security Patch Level to view the installed security update date. Compare this against the CVE publication date of September 2017 and your vendor's subsequent security bulletin.
    Affected if The Security Patch Level is earlier than October 2017 or the specific month your vendor released the fix for CVE-2017-14917.

A user is affected if their Android device uses a Qualcomm MSM chipset, runs a kernel version predating the CVE-2017-14917 patch, and displays a Security Patch Level earlier than the vendor release date for this specific vulnerability.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the vendor-specific kernel/security patch from Qualcomm/CAF and device manufacturers. Users should apply monthly security patches from their Android device vendors; this is a low-level firmware issue that cannot be mitigated at the application layer.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Latest available Android Security Patch Level (2017-10 or later, per Google's monthly security bulletin)

  1. Ensure your Android device is running the latest available Android security patch level
  2. Check for system updates in Settings > System > Software Update (or similar path depending on device)
  3. Apply any available security updates - these are typically released monthly by device manufacturers and Google
  4. For enterprise or specialized devices, contact your device manufacturer or carrier for specific patch availability and timelines
Caveat Monthly security updates generally do not introduce breaking changes; however, always backup device data before applying updates

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing16.0 h
  • Review / QA8.0 h
36.0 hours of engineering $6,160
Get help mitigating

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $9,856.

Scan for this in your stack

Free · runs locally
dbcve dependency scanner

Check whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-14917 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.

Get it on GitHub Scan in the browser

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-2017-14917 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.

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
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data