# CVE-2014-9973: Memory corruption in All Qualcomm products

> Missing buffer length validation in PlayReady DRM allows attackers to cause memory corruption, potentially leading to code execution or privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Aug 2017
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fxxm-wp8x-x657

## What is CVE-2014-9973?

CVE-2014-9973 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Google Android, published on 18 Aug 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In all Qualcomm products with Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, validation of a buffer length was missing in a PlayReady DRM routine.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-9973?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Google Android.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-9973?

No fix has been published for CVE-2014-9973 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2014-9973 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-9973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Google Android

- [CVE-2026-58704](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-58704/): Google Pixel Improper Authorization (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-48543](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48543/): Android Runtime Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-35674](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35674/): Android Framework Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-48595](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48595/): Android Framework Integer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-32896](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-32896/): Android Pixel Privilege Escalation (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-9973 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-9973 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Google Android, published on 18 Aug 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-9973 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Google Android. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-9973/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-9973/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-9973
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-9973
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-9973

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-9973/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.