CVE-2013-4777 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
A certain configuration of Android 2.3.7 on the Motorola Defy XT phone for Republic Wireless uses init to create a /dev/socket/init_runit socket that listens for shell commands, which allows local users to gain privileges by interacting with a LocalSocket object.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-4777 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Android operating system version 2.3.7 running on Motorola Defy XT devices configured for Republic Wireless service. This issue stems from improper socket configuration during the system initialization process, where the init daemon creates a /dev/socket/init_runit socket that remains accessible to local users. The configuration allows unauthorized individuals to establish connections to this socket and execute shell commands with elevated privileges, effectively bypassing normal access controls and system security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the init process creating a Unix domain socket at /dev/socket/init_runit that listens for incoming connections and processes commands without proper authentication or authorization checks. When a LocalSocket object connects to this socket, the system executes the received commands with root privileges, as the socket is designed to facilitate system-level operations. This design flaw violates fundamental security principles by providing unrestricted access to privileged system functions through a network-like interface that should be protected from unauthorized access.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for device security and data integrity. Local attackers who can establish a connection to the vulnerable socket gain complete control over the device, potentially accessing sensitive information, modifying system files, installing malicious applications, or disabling security features. The impact extends beyond individual device compromise to potential network infiltration if the device connects to corporate or public networks, as the attacker could use the elevated privileges to establish persistent access or launch further attacks against network infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-78 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in OS Commands) categories, demonstrating how inadequate privilege management combined with unsafe command execution can create severe security holes. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) techniques, as attackers can exploit the system to execute commands with elevated privileges. The issue also relates to T1543 (Create or Modify System Process) as it allows modification of system processes through the privileged socket interface.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate firmware updates from Motorola and Republic Wireless to address the socket configuration issue, proper access control implementation for system sockets, and network segmentation to limit potential exploitation. System administrators should also implement monitoring for unauthorized socket connections and consider disabling unnecessary privileged services. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper socket security configuration and demonstrates how seemingly benign system initialization processes can become attack vectors when not properly secured against local privilege escalation attempts.