CVE-2013-2599 in Android-msm
Summary
by MITRE
A certain Qualcomm Innovation Center (QuIC) patch to the NativeDaemonConnector class in services/java/com/android/server/NativeDaemonConnector.java in Code Aurora Forum (CAF) releases of Android 4.1.x through 4.3.x enables debug logging, which allows attackers to obtain sensitive disk-encryption passwords via a logcat call.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/12/2019
The vulnerability CVE-2013-2599 represents a critical security flaw in Android's native daemon connector implementation within the Code Aurora Forum releases of Android 4.1.x through 4.3.x operating systems. This issue stems from an unintended debug logging feature that was inadvertently included in the Qualcomm Innovation Center's patch for the NativeDaemonConnector class. The vulnerability specifically affects the services/java/com/android/server/NativeDaemonConnector.java file where debug logging capabilities were enabled in a production environment rather than being properly disabled. This flaw demonstrates a classic security misconfiguration where development artifacts were not properly removed or disabled before deployment to production systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the NativeDaemonConnector class which serves as a communication bridge between the Android system services and native daemon processes. When debug logging was enabled through the QuIC patch, sensitive information including disk-encryption passwords became accessible through the Android logging system. Attackers could exploit this by executing a logcat command to access the system logs where the encryption passwords were being logged in plaintext format. This represents a direct violation of data protection principles and demonstrates how seemingly innocuous debug features can create significant security exposures when improperly configured in production environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-2599 is severe as it directly compromises the integrity of Android device encryption mechanisms. Mobile devices running affected Android versions could have their full-disk encryption passwords exposed to unauthorized parties through simple logcat commands, potentially allowing attackers to gain complete access to device data without requiring additional authentication. This vulnerability affects a substantial number of Android devices that were still using the affected CAF releases, creating a widespread security risk for users who had not yet upgraded to patched versions. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires minimal technical expertise to exploit and can be executed remotely or locally on compromised devices.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-668 (Improper Control of a Resource Through Time Window) as it exposes sensitive information through improper configuration of logging mechanisms. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this maps to T1005 (Data from Local System) and T1566 (Phishing) as attackers can leverage this information to access device data and potentially use it for further attacks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security testing and configuration management in mobile operating system development, particularly regarding debug features that should never be enabled in production environments. Organizations should implement comprehensive security testing procedures including static code analysis, dynamic application security testing, and configuration reviews to prevent such issues from reaching production deployments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2013-2599 include immediate patching of affected Android versions to remove the debug logging functionality from the NativeDaemonConnector class. System administrators should also implement proper log management practices including log rotation, access controls, and monitoring for unauthorized log access attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct regular security audits to ensure that debug features are properly disabled in production environments and that sensitive data is not being logged in plaintext formats. The vulnerability underscores the necessity of following secure coding practices and implementing proper security controls throughout the software development lifecycle to prevent such exposure of sensitive information in mobile operating systems.