CVE-2017-3759 in Service Framework
Summary
by MITRE
The Lenovo Service Framework Android application accepts some responses from the server without proper validation. This exposes the application to man-in-the-middle attacks leading to possible remote code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2019
The CVE-2017-3759 vulnerability resides within the Lenovo Service Framework Android application, a critical component designed to manage various system services and configurations on Lenovo devices. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that directly impacts the integrity and authenticity of communication between the mobile device and remote servers. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the application's network response handling processes, creating an exploitable condition that adversaries can leverage to compromise device security. The affected application fails to properly validate server responses, which creates a pathway for malicious actors to inject unauthorized code or manipulate legitimate communications.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through man-in-the-middle attack vectors where attackers intercept and modify network traffic between the Android application and Lenovo's servers. When the application receives server responses without proper validation, it processes potentially malicious data without sufficient sanitization or authentication checks. This weakness allows threat actors to inject crafted responses that the application accepts as legitimate, potentially leading to remote code execution capabilities. The vulnerability specifically affects the application's trust model and certificate validation mechanisms, enabling attackers to bypass security controls that should prevent unauthorized modifications to the device's operational environment. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in input validation and trust model implementation, specifically categorized under CWE-295 for improper certificate validation and CWE-94 for improper control of generation of code.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-3759 extends beyond simple data interception, as successful exploitation could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected devices with the privileges of the Lenovo Service Framework application. This remote code execution capability allows threat actors to potentially install malicious applications, modify system configurations, access sensitive user data, or establish persistent backdoors on the compromised devices. The vulnerability affects a wide range of Lenovo Android devices running the affected service framework, creating a substantial attack surface across multiple device models and software versions. Organizations and individual users with affected devices face significant risks including potential data breaches, privacy violations, and unauthorized access to corporate or personal information. The attack vector requires minimal sophistication for exploitation, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged by both advanced persistent threat actors and less skilled attackers.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-3759 should focus on immediate application updates and enhanced network security controls. Lenovo issued patches to address the vulnerability, and users should immediately install the latest service framework updates available through official channels. Network administrators should implement additional security measures including traffic inspection, certificate pinning mechanisms, and monitoring for suspicious network activity. The implementation of proper certificate validation and response sanitization within the application code represents the fundamental fix required to address this weakness. Organizations should also consider network segmentation and intrusion detection systems to monitor for potential exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving credential access through network sniffing and privilege escalation via code injection. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation as outlined in OWASP Top 10 and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify similar weaknesses in other applications and systems within the organization's infrastructure.