CVE-2017-5625 in OxygenOS
Summary
by MITRE
In OxygenOS before 4.0.3 on OnePlus 3 and 3T devices, an unauthorized attacker can cause a locked bootloader to partially dump the ciphertext content of an arbitrary partition (except 'keystore') by issuing the 'fastboot oem dump <partition>' fastboot command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/30/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-5625 represents a critical security flaw in OxygenOS versions prior to 4.0.3 affecting OnePlus 3 and 3T devices. This issue stems from an insufficient access control mechanism within the fastboot bootloader interface, specifically in the OEM dump command implementation. The flaw allows attackers with physical access to devices to extract encrypted data from arbitrary partitions, creating a significant risk for device security and user privacy.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs through the fastboot oem dump command which was designed to provide diagnostic information but lacked proper authentication and authorization checks. When an attacker issues the 'fastboot oem dump <partition>' command, the system processes this request without verifying the attacker's credentials or authorization level. This command executes with elevated privileges and can access partition data that should normally be protected, though it excludes the keystore partition which contains sensitive cryptographic keys and user credentials.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it enables attackers to potentially reconstruct sensitive information from encrypted partitions. The partial dumping capability means that while complete decryption isn't achieved, sufficient ciphertext data can be extracted to facilitate further attacks or analysis. This vulnerability directly violates security principles outlined in CWE-284, which addresses inadequate access control mechanisms, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005 for data from local system. The exposure affects the confidentiality and integrity of device data, potentially compromising user privacy and enabling more sophisticated attacks.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires physical access to the device and knowledge of the fastboot interface, making it particularly concerning for devices that may be lost or stolen. Attackers can use this information to perform pattern analysis, potentially leading to key recovery attacks against the encryption algorithms used by the device. This vulnerability also impacts the device's overall security posture by undermining the trust model that relies on secure boot processes and partition isolation. The issue highlights the importance of proper privilege separation and access control mechanisms in bootloader implementations, as defined in industry standards for secure system design and development practices.