CVE-2017-15322 in Smart Phone
Summary
by MITRE
Some Huawei smartphones with software of BGO-L03C158B003CUSTC158D001 and BGO-L03C331B009CUSTC331D001 have a DoS vulnerability due to insufficient input validation. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending specially crafted NFC messages to the target device. Successful exploit could make a service crash.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-15322 affects specific Huawei smartphone models running particular software versions including BGO-L03C158B003CUSTC158D001 and BGO-L03C331B009CUSTC331D001. This represents a denial of service weakness that stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the device's NFC processing capabilities. The flaw exists at the intersection of mobile device security and wireless communication protocols, specifically targeting the Near Field Communication subsystem that handles proximity-based data exchanges. The vulnerability demonstrates a classic security oversight where the system fails to properly validate incoming data before processing it, creating an entry point for malicious actors to disrupt normal device operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of NFC message formats that the affected Huawei devices receive and process. When these devices encounter specially crafted NFC messages containing malformed or unexpected data structures, the insufficient input validation causes the processing service to crash or become unresponsive. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-20 category of "Improper Input Validation" which is a fundamental weakness in software design that allows malicious inputs to cause unexpected behavior. The attack vector specifically targets the NFC service daemon or framework component responsible for handling wireless communication protocols, making it particularly concerning given the widespread use of NFC functionality in modern smartphones for payments, data sharing, and device pairing operations.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to users of affected Huawei devices as it can be exploited remotely through NFC communication without requiring physical access or complex attack infrastructure. The service crash resulting from exploitation can render the NFC functionality completely non-operational until the device is manually restarted or the affected service is terminated and restarted. This disruption can impact legitimate NFC-based transactions such as mobile payments, contactless card reading, and device-to-device data transfers that users rely on daily. The vulnerability essentially allows an attacker to create a temporary denial of service condition that affects core device functionality, potentially disrupting user workflows and creating opportunities for more sophisticated attacks if the device becomes unresponsive during critical operations.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the ATT&CK framework, specifically under the T1499 category of "Network Denial of Service" where adversaries leverage system weaknesses to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability also relates to T1059 which covers command and control communications, as attackers might use the service disruption as a stepping stone for further compromise. Mitigation strategies should include immediate software updates from Huawei to address the input validation gaps, implementation of NFC service monitoring to detect abnormal behavior patterns, and user education regarding the risks of accepting unknown NFC communications. Organizations should also consider network-level controls that can detect and prevent malicious NFC traffic patterns, particularly in enterprise environments where device security is paramount. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation across all communication protocols, especially those that operate in proximity-based environments where physical access is not required for exploitation.