# CVE-2017-13178: Use after free in Android

> A use-after-free vulnerability in Android's SoftAVCDec allows remote code execution with privileged access without user interaction.

- **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:** 12 Jan 2018
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qq3g-xr36-vj77

## What is CVE-2017-13178?

CVE-2017-13178 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Google Android, published on 12 Jan 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In the initDecoder function of SoftAVCDec, there is a possible out-of-bounds write to mCodecCtx due to a use after free when buffer allocation fails. This could lead to remote code execution as a privileged process with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Product: Android. Versions: 6.0.1, 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1. Android ID: A-66969281.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-13178?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Google Android.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-13178?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-13178 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-13178 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-13178 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-2017-13178 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-13178 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Google Android, published on 12 Jan 2018. 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-2017-13178 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-2017-13178/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-13178/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-13178
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-13178
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-13178

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-13178/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.