CVE-2017-17860 in Gear
Summary
by MITRE
In Samsung Gear products, Bluetooth link key is updated to the differnet key which is same with attacker's link key. It can be attacked without user's intention only if attacker can reveal the Bluetooth address of target device and paired user's smartphone
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/24/2019
This vulnerability exists in Samsung Gear wearable devices and represents a significant Bluetooth security flaw that enables unauthorized access through a specific type of man-in-the-middle attack. The vulnerability stems from improper Bluetooth link key management where the device updates its link key to a value that matches the attacker's link key, effectively allowing the attacker to establish a legitimate Bluetooth connection without user consent or knowledge. This issue specifically affects Samsung Gear products and demonstrates a critical failure in the Bluetooth security protocol implementation.
The technical flaw manifests when an attacker successfully identifies and tracks the Bluetooth address of a target Samsung Gear device and its paired smartphone. The vulnerability allows the attacker to manipulate the Bluetooth link key exchange process, causing the device to accept the attacker's link key as valid. This creates a scenario where the attacker can establish a trusted Bluetooth connection with the device, potentially gaining access to sensitive data, control functions, or enabling further exploitation. The attack requires the attacker to know the target device's Bluetooth address and that of the paired smartphone, but does not require physical proximity beyond Bluetooth range or user interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is substantial as it enables persistent unauthorized access to Samsung Gear devices without user awareness. Once successfully exploited, attackers can potentially intercept communications between the wearable device and the paired smartphone, access stored data, or perform malicious actions through the device's Bluetooth interface. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the Bluetooth protocol level and can be executed remotely without requiring physical access to the device. This type of attack falls under the attack pattern category of Bluetooth protocol manipulation and can be classified as a credential replacement attack within the ATT&CK framework.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-310, which covers cryptographic issues and specifically addresses weaknesses in key management and generation. The flaw represents a failure in proper cryptographic key handling where the device does not adequately validate or verify the legitimacy of link keys during the Bluetooth pairing process. The security implications extend beyond simple data interception to potential device compromise and unauthorized control, making this a critical vulnerability for IoT and wearable device security. Organizations should implement Bluetooth security monitoring and device authentication protocols to detect and prevent such attacks, while manufacturers should ensure proper key validation mechanisms are in place to prevent credential substitution attacks. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of Bluetooth address randomization and proper device identification mechanisms to prevent tracking and targeted attacks against specific devices.