dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2017-6211

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, in the processing of a downlink supplementary services message, a buffer overflow can 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 Linux kernel used by Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, and QRD Android. The flaw is in the processing of downlink supplementary services messages, which could allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges or cause a denial of service.

MitigationApply vendor-provided security patches through Android monthly security bulletins; affected devices require kernel-level updates delivered via OTA firmware updates.

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 the device kernel version
    Use ADB to run 'uname -r' or check Settings > About Phone > Kernel Version
    Affected if The kernel version is older than the March 2017 Android Security Bulletin patch level (or if the device has not received the CVE-2017-6211 patch)
  2. Confirm device uses Qualcomm MSM chipset
    Check the baseband/modem information via 'getprop' commands (e.g., 'getprop ro.baseband', 'getprop ro.bootloader') or check the device specifications for Qualcomm MSM integration
    Affected if The device utilizes a Qualcomm MSM (Mobile Station Modem) chipset, which contains the vulnerable code path
  3. Verify the supplementary services processing is active
    The vulnerability is in the kernel's handling of downlink supplementary services messages (AT command processing for SMS/call-related services). This is active on any device with cellular modem functionality using MSM.
    Affected if The device has cellular connectivity and uses the MSM modem for voice/SMS services
  4. Check Android security patch level
    Run 'getprop ro.build.version.security_patch' via ADB or check Settings > Android Security Patch Level in About Phone
    Affected if The security patch level is earlier than March 2017, indicating the CVE-2017-6211 fix has not been applied

A user is affected if their Android device uses a Qualcomm MSM modem, runs a kernel version predating the March 2017 security patch, and has not received the vendor OTA update containing the CVE-2017-6211 fix.

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 vendor-provided security patches through Android monthly security bulletins; affected devices require kernel-level updates delivered via OTA firmware updates.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Android security patch level April 2017 or later (with corresponding CAF/kernel update)

  1. Check your device's current Android security patch level in Settings > About Phone > Android security patch level
  2. If the patch level is earlier than April 2017, your device is vulnerable
  3. Update your device to the latest available Android system update, which should include the April 2017 security patch or later
  4. For devices no longer receiving official updates, consider flashing a custom ROM with recent security patches or replacing the device
  5. If updates are unavailable, contact your device manufacturer (OEM) for a specific security patch for this vulnerability (CVE-2017-6211)
Caveat Some older devices may not receive further updates due to end-of-life status; custom ROMs may void warranty

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

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation12.0 h
  • Implementation24.0 h
  • Testing40.0 h
  • Review / QA12.0 h
88.0 hours of engineering $14,880
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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-2017-6211 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
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data