CVE-2013-3579 in Security
Summary
by MITRE
The Lookout Mobile Security application before 8.17-8a39d3f for Android allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted application that sends an intent to com.lookout.security.ScanTell with zero arguments.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3579 affects the Lookout Mobile Security Android application version 8.17-8a39d3f and earlier, presenting a significant denial of service risk that can be exploited by malicious actors. This flaw resides in how the application handles incoming intents, specifically targeting the com.lookout.security.ScanTell component which serves as a critical interface for security scanning operations within the mobile environment. The vulnerability represents a classic input validation weakness that can be leveraged to disrupt normal application functionality.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate parameter validation within the ScanTell intent handler component. When a malicious application crafts and sends an intent to the com.lookout.security.ScanTell service with zero arguments, the application fails to properly validate the incoming data structure. This lack of input sanitization causes the application to crash or freeze, resulting in a denial of service condition that prevents legitimate security scanning operations from functioning properly. The flaw operates at the Android inter-process communication level where applications communicate through intent broadcasts, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered remotely without requiring physical access or elevated privileges.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for users who rely on Lookout Mobile Security for protection against mobile threats. The denial of service condition effectively disables the security application's ability to perform essential scanning functions, leaving devices potentially exposed to malware and other security threats during the period when the application is non-functional. This vulnerability can be exploited by any attacker who can install a malicious application on the target device, making it particularly concerning in environments where users may inadvertently download compromised applications from untrusted sources. The impact extends beyond individual user inconvenience to potential security gaps that could be exploited by threat actors targeting specific victims or organizations.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation, and represents a clear example of how insufficient validation of external inputs can lead to application instability and service disruption. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving application installation and privilege escalation through malicious application deployment. The flaw also demonstrates characteristics consistent with privilege escalation vectors where an attacker can manipulate application behavior through carefully crafted system calls. Organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting policies and regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in mobile security applications. The recommended mitigation involves updating to Lookout Mobile Security version 8.17-8a39d3f or later, which includes proper input validation and intent parameter checking to prevent the exploitation of this denial of service condition.