CVE-2017-8244
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 · uneditedIn core_info_read and inst_info_read in all Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, variable "dbg_buf", "dbg_buf->curr" and "dbg_buf->filled_size" could be modified by different threads at the same time, but they are not protected with mutex or locks. Buffer overflow is possible on race conditions. "buffer->curr" itself could also be overwritten, which means that it may point to anywhere of kernel memory (for write).
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 confidenceRace condition vulnerability in Android kernel functions core_info_read and inst_info_read where shared variables dbg_buf, dbg_buf->curr, and dbg_buf->filled_size lack mutex/lock protection, allowing concurrent thread modification that can cause buffer overflows and enable kernel memory write arbitrary primitives.
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 dataall versionsCVSS 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
- High
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Confirm the device is running AndroidCheck /system/build.prop or run 'getprop ro.build.id' to verify the operating system is Google AndroidAffected if The device is not running Google Android (this CVE only affects Android)
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Identify the kernel source versionRun 'uname -r' or check /proc/version to determine the running kernel versionAffected if Kernel is from Android (needed for the vulnerable functions to be present)
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Locate the vulnerable kernel functionsSearch the kernel source code for 'core_info_read' and 'inst_info_read' function definitionsAffected if These functions exist in the kernel source - they contain the vulnerability
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Inspect locking around dbg_buf accessExamine the source code of core_info_read and inst_info_read functions for mutex_lock/spin_lock calls protecting dbg_buf, dbg_buf->curr, and dbg_buf->filled_size accessesAffected if The code shows no mutex or spinlock protecting the shared dbg_buf variables - concurrent access is possible
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Check for thread concurrency on the vulnerable functionsIdentify if any userspace or kernel threads can call these functions simultaneously without synchronizationAffected if Multiple threads can invoke these functions concurrently without synchronization primitives in place
If the device runs Android and its kernel source contains the core_info_read or inst_info_read functions without mutex or spinlock protection around dbg_buf variable accesses, the environment is affected by this race condition vulnerability.
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.
From vendor dataApply proper mutex or spinlock synchronization around all accesses and modifications to dbg_buf and its members in the vulnerable functions to prevent concurrent race conditions.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $6,656.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-8244 — 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-2017-8244 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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