CVE-2016-5233 in Mate 8
Summary
by MITRE
Huawei Mate 8 smartphones with software NXT-AL10 before NXT-AL10C00B182, NXT-CL00 before NXT-CL00C92B182, NXT-DL00 before NXT-DL00C17B182, and NXT-TL00 before NXT-TL00C01B182 allow remote base stations to obtain sensitive subscriber signal strength information via vectors involving improper security status verification, aka HWPSIRT-2015-12007.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/15/2019
This vulnerability affects Huawei Mate 8 smartphones running specific software versions and represents a critical security flaw in the mobile device's communication stack. The issue stems from improper security status verification mechanisms that allow remote base stations to access sensitive subscriber signal strength information. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284 which addresses improper access control and improper privilege management in security systems. This weakness enables malicious actors positioned at remote base stations to exploit the device's communication protocols and extract confidential signal strength data that should remain protected within the device's secure operating environment.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the mobile device's interaction with cellular network infrastructure where the security verification processes fail to properly authenticate or validate the legitimacy of base station communications. When a Huawei Mate 8 device connects to a cellular network, it typically exchanges various signals and status information with the base station. However, due to the flawed security verification mechanism, unauthorized base stations can manipulate these communications to request or receive sensitive signal strength data that would normally be restricted to authorized network entities. This flaw specifically impacts devices running software versions prior to NXT-AL10C00B182, NXT-CL00C92B182, NXT-DL00C17B182, and NXT-TL00C01B182 respectively, indicating a targeted issue within specific firmware releases.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks within the mobile security landscape. Signal strength information can serve as a valuable indicator for location tracking, network mapping, and behavioral analysis of device users. Attackers could leverage this data to construct detailed profiles of user movement patterns, preferred network areas, and communication behaviors. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1566 which involves credential harvesting through social engineering and network-based attacks. This information could be combined with other reconnaissance data to facilitate more targeted attacks including location-based social engineering or network reconnaissance for broader exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate software updates and firmware patches from Huawei to address the security verification flaws in the device's communication stack. Organizations and individuals should prioritize updating their Huawei Mate 8 devices to the latest software versions that contain the security fixes for HWPSIRT-2015-12007. Network operators should also implement monitoring systems to detect anomalous base station behavior and verify the authenticity of network connections. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper security status verification in mobile communication protocols and highlights the need for comprehensive testing of authentication mechanisms. Additionally, users should be aware of their device's software versions and maintain regular update schedules to protect against similar vulnerabilities in the mobile ecosystem.