CVE-2016-10457 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Android before 2018-04-05 or earlier security patch level on Qualcomm Snapdragon Mobile and Snapdragon Wear MDM9206, MDM9607, MDM9650, MSM8909W, SD 210/SD 212/SD 205, SD 400, SD 410/12, SD 425, SD 430, SD 450, SD 615/16/SD 415, SD 617, SD 625, SD 650/52, SD 800, SD 808, SD 810, SD 820, SD 835, and SDX20, app is requesting more permissions than required.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/27/2020
This vulnerability represents a significant privacy and security concern within the Android ecosystem, specifically affecting Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile platforms prior to the 2018-04-05 security patch level. The issue stems from applications requesting excessive permissions that exceed their legitimate functional requirements, creating potential attack vectors and privacy violations. This flaw aligns with CWE-259, which addresses weak password storage, and more broadly with CWE-276, concerning insecure default permissions, as it demonstrates how applications can exploit permission mechanisms to gain unauthorized access to user data and system resources.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves applications leveraging the Android permission system inappropriately by requesting permissions that are not essential for their core functionality. This over-permissioning behavior allows malicious applications to potentially access sensitive user data, including location information, contacts, storage contents, and communication records without proper justification. The affected Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets span multiple generations and device categories, indicating a widespread exposure across various mobile platforms. This vulnerability specifically impacts the Android operating system's permission model implementation and highlights weaknesses in the application sandboxing mechanisms that should normally restrict app access to only necessary resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privacy concerns to encompass potential data breaches, identity theft, and unauthorized surveillance capabilities. Attackers could exploit these excessive permissions to collect personal information, monitor user activities, or even establish persistent access to devices. The vulnerability's widespread nature across multiple Snapdragon chipsets suggests that a large number of Android devices were potentially exposed, creating a substantial attack surface for threat actors. This issue particularly affects the principle of least privilege enforcement within Android's security architecture, where applications should only request permissions necessary for their intended functionality.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require multiple layers of defense including immediate application updates to reduce unnecessary permission requests, implementation of stricter permission review processes by app stores, and enhanced user education about permission management. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security audits of their applications to identify and remove excessive permission requests, while users should regularly review and revoke unnecessary app permissions. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of adherence to security best practices as outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project, particularly concerning permission management and secure coding practices. Additionally, this issue reinforces the need for robust application vetting processes and continuous monitoring of application behavior to prevent unauthorized access to user data and system resources.