CVE-2011-4769 in MobileSafe
Summary
by MITRE
The 360 MobileSafe (com.qihoo360.mobilesafe) application 2.x before 2.3.0 for Android does not properly protect data, which allows remote attackers to read or modify SMS messages and a contact list via a crafted application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2019
The CVE-2011-4769 vulnerability affects the 360 MobileSafe Android application version 2.x prior to 2.3.0, representing a critical security flaw in mobile application data protection mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from insufficient data protection measures within the application's architecture, creating exploitable conditions that allow malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to sensitive user information. The affected application, developed by Qihoo 360, was designed as a security tool but inadvertently created a backdoor for attackers to compromise user data through crafted malicious applications.
The technical flaw manifests in the application's improper handling of data access controls and permission management within the Android operating system framework. Specifically, the vulnerability exploits weaknesses in the application's inter-process communication mechanisms and data storage protection methods, allowing attackers to bypass normal security boundaries that should prevent unauthorized access to SMS messages and contact lists. This represents a classic case of inadequate input validation and insufficient privilege separation, where the application fails to properly enforce security policies that would normally be enforced by the Android security model.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it enables remote attackers to perform both passive and active attacks against users of the affected application. Attackers can read SMS messages, which may contain sensitive information such as authentication codes, personal communications, and financial data, while also gaining access to contact lists that can be used for social engineering attacks or further exploitation. The ability to modify SMS messages and contact data creates additional risks including message manipulation, contact spoofing, and potential credential theft through SMS-based authentication systems. This vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assumptions that users place in security applications, transforming them from protective tools into attack vectors.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) classifications, demonstrating how security controls can be bypassed through inadequate implementation of access restrictions. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the vulnerability is exploitable through a crafted application, meaning users could be compromised simply by installing seemingly legitimate applications that contain malicious code. This vulnerability also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers can leverage the compromised application to execute malicious commands and harvest credentials through social engineering campaigns.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate application updates to version 2.3.0 or later, which would include proper data protection mechanisms and access control implementations. System administrators should conduct thorough security assessments of all installed applications and remove any instances of the vulnerable 360 MobileSafe version. Users should be educated about the risks of installing applications from untrusted sources and the importance of keeping security applications updated. Additionally, implementing network monitoring to detect suspicious data access patterns and conducting regular security audits of mobile applications can help identify similar vulnerabilities in other security tools. Organizations should also consider implementing mobile device management solutions that can enforce application whitelisting and prevent installation of vulnerable applications.