CVE-2016-6718 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
An elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Account Manager Service in Android 7.0 before 2016-11-01 could enable a local malicious application to retrieve sensitive information without user interaction. This issue is rated as Moderate because it is a local bypass of user interaction requirements (access to functionality that would normally require either user initiation or user permission.) Android ID: A-30455516.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-6718 represents a critical elevation of privilege flaw within Android 7.0's Account Manager Service, specifically affecting versions prior to the 2016-11-01 security patch. This vulnerability resides in the core system service responsible for managing user accounts and authentication tokens, creating a significant security gap that allows local malicious applications to bypass normal user interaction requirements. The issue stems from insufficient access controls and validation mechanisms within the Account Manager Service, which typically requires explicit user permission or interaction to access sensitive account information. This weakness enables an attacker with local system access to exploit the service and extract confidential data that would normally be protected by user consent protocols.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a failure in the service's permission model where local applications can manipulate or bypass the normal authentication flow that should require user involvement. The Account Manager Service in Android 7.0 fails to properly enforce the principle of least privilege, allowing malicious applications to access account credentials, authentication tokens, and other sensitive information through direct service invocation. This flaw operates at the system level rather than requiring network-based attacks or complex exploitation techniques, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered by any application with local access to the device. The vulnerability manifests when a malicious application attempts to query the Account Manager Service without proper authentication or user consent, yet the service fails to validate the request properly, resulting in unauthorized data disclosure.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-6718 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the Android security model's assumption that sensitive account information requires user interaction for access. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to extract authentication tokens, account details, and other confidential data that could be used for further attacks including credential theft, account takeover, or lateral movement within compromised systems. The vulnerability's classification as Moderate according to the Android security rating system reflects its local nature and the requirement for initial system access, yet it represents a significant bypass of normal security controls. This weakness can be exploited by malware or malicious applications already present on the device, potentially leading to complete account compromise and unauthorized access to services that depend on the compromised account credentials. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that it affects the core account management infrastructure, which is critical for maintaining system security and user privacy.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-6718 primarily focus on applying the relevant security patches released by Google in the 2016-11-01 update cycle. Organizations and users should immediately implement the security update that addresses the Account Manager Service access control flaws, ensuring that the system properly validates service requests and enforces appropriate permission checks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control in software systems, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting local privilege escalation vulnerabilities. System administrators should also implement application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized applications from gaining access to system services, while monitoring for suspicious Account Manager Service access patterns. Additionally, regular security audits should verify that no applications have been installed that could exploit this vulnerability, and that proper access controls are maintained throughout the system. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and highlights the need for robust access control mechanisms in system-level services that handle sensitive user data.