CVE-2013-3580 in Antivirus
Summary
by MITRE
The TrustGo Antivirus & Mobile Security application before 1.3.6 for Android allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) via a crafted application that sends an intent to com.trustgo.mobile.security.USSDScannerActivity with zero arguments.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/14/2024
The TrustGo Antivirus & Mobile Security application vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-3580 represents a critical security flaw in Android mobile security software that could be exploited to disrupt system operations. This vulnerability specifically affects versions prior to 1.3.6 and demonstrates how legitimate security applications can contain implementation flaws that create attack vectors for malicious actors. The vulnerability resides within the application's intent handling mechanism, where the com.trustgo.mobile.security.USSDScannerActivity component fails to properly validate incoming intent parameters, creating a path for exploitation through malformed intent data.
The technical flaw manifests when an attacker crafts a malicious application that sends an intent to the vulnerable USSDScannerActivity component with zero arguments. This particular implementation error creates a scenario where the application crashes upon receiving such malformed intent data, resulting in a denial of service condition that prevents the security application from functioning properly. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and parameter checking within the Android intent handling framework, where the application assumes that all incoming intents will contain the expected number and type of arguments. This type of flaw maps directly to CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" and specifically relates to inadequate validation of input parameters in software components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple application instability, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of devices running affected versions of TrustGo. When the security application crashes, users may experience a loss of protection against mobile threats, potentially leaving their devices vulnerable to malware, phishing attacks, and other mobile security risks. The denial of service condition can be triggered remotely through malicious applications, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no physical access to the device or elevated privileges. This vulnerability also demonstrates how security tools themselves can become attack vectors, creating a paradoxical situation where the very application meant to protect users becomes a potential point of compromise.
Security researchers have identified this vulnerability as part of a broader class of issues affecting Android applications that fail to properly validate intent parameters and handle edge cases in their component implementations. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this type of vulnerability under T1059.007 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1489 for "Service Stop" as it effectively disrupts the normal operation of security services. Organizations and individuals should prioritize updating to TrustGo version 1.3.6 or later, which includes proper intent parameter validation and input sanitization. System administrators should also implement monitoring for unusual intent activity patterns and consider deploying application whitelisting policies to prevent the installation of untrusted applications that could exploit this vulnerability. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the updated version properly handles all expected intent parameters while maintaining the application's core security functionality.