# CVE-2017-14908: Denial of service in Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android

> A lack of validation in the SafeSwitch test application allows attackers to cause a denial of service in Android and Firefox OS devices using Qualcomm MSM chipsets.

- **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:** 5 Dec 2017
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mfqm-482f-98vq

## What is CVE-2017-14908?

CVE-2017-14908 is a critical denial of service vulnerability in Google Android, published on 5 Dec 2017. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In Android for MSM, Firefox OS for MSM, QRD Android, with all Android releases from CAF using the Linux kernel, the SafeSwitch test application does not properly validate the number of blocks to verify.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-14908?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Google Android.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-14908?

No fix has been published for CVE-2017-14908 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2017-14908 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-14908 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-2017-14908 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-14908 is a critical denial of service vulnerability in Google Android, published on 5 Dec 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-2017-14908 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-2017-14908/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14908/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-14908
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-14908
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-14908

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14908/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.