CVE-2017-2707 in Mate 9
Summary
by MITRE
Mate 9 smartphones with software MHA-AL00AC00B125 have a privilege escalation vulnerability in Push module. An attacker tricks a user to save a rich media into message on the smart phone, which could be exploited to cause the attacker to delete message or fake user to send message.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2023
The CVE-2017-2707 vulnerability represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the Push module of Huawei Mate 9 smartphones running software version MHA-AL00AC00B125. This vulnerability resides in the messaging and push notification handling mechanisms of the device, creating a pathway for malicious actors to gain elevated system privileges beyond what is normally permitted to standard user applications. The flaw specifically affects the rich media handling capabilities within the push notification system, where the device fails to properly validate or sanitize user-controllable input data during message processing operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a sophisticated social engineering attack vector where an attacker must convince a victim to interact with malicious content within a push notification. When a user saves rich media content from a malicious push message into their messaging application, the system's insufficient input validation allows the attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. This privilege escalation enables the attacker to perform actions that should normally be restricted to system-level processes or privileged applications. The vulnerability manifests as a failure in the Android operating system's security model, particularly in how it handles inter-process communication and privilege boundaries within the messaging subsystem.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple message manipulation to encompass full control over the messaging application's functionality. Attackers can leverage this privilege escalation to delete existing messages, forge new messages as if they were sent by the legitimate user, and potentially access other sensitive data stored within the device's messaging framework. This capability creates significant risks for personal privacy and corporate security, as users may be deceived into unknowingly executing malicious code that could lead to further exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a classic example of how insufficient validation in system components can lead to privilege escalation attacks.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input sanitization in mobile operating systems, particularly in components that handle user-generated content from external sources. The attack requires user interaction to initiate, making it a form of user deception that could be amplified through phishing campaigns or malicious applications. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability could potentially serve as a stepping stone for more complex attacks, as it provides the attacker with elevated privileges necessary to bypass additional security controls within the device. The flaw highlights the critical need for robust privilege separation mechanisms and proper validation of all user-controllable inputs in mobile device operating systems. Mitigation strategies should include immediate software updates, user education about suspicious push notifications, and enhanced input validation within messaging applications. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of implementing defense-in-depth strategies, as the flaw exists in a component that should have multiple layers of security controls to prevent such escalation scenarios from occurring.