CVE-2017-8165 in Mate 9
Summary
by MITRE
Mate 9 Huawei smart phones with versions earlier than MHA-AL00BC00B233 have a sensitive information leak vulnerability. An attacker can trick a user to install a malicious application to exploit this vulnerability. Successful exploitation may cause sensitive information leak.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/16/2023
The CVE-2017-8165 vulnerability represents a critical sensitive information leak flaw affecting Huawei Mate 9 smartphones running firmware versions prior to MHA-AL00BC00B233. This vulnerability resides within the mobile operating system's handling of sensitive data exposure mechanisms, creating a pathway for unauthorized access to confidential user information. The issue manifests through a design flaw in the system's permission model and data isolation controls, which fail to properly restrict access to sensitive information stored within the device's memory structures.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through a malicious application installation process that leverages the device's trust model and permission handling mechanisms. Attackers can craft applications that appear legitimate to users while exploiting the underlying system flaw to access sensitive data that should remain protected. The vulnerability operates at the system level rather than through network protocols, making it particularly dangerous as it requires no external network connection for exploitation once the malicious application is installed. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-200, which specifically addresses information exposure, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for execution through malicious applications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass comprehensive user privacy compromise and potential identity theft. Sensitive information that may be exposed includes personal identification data, communication records, authentication credentials, and other confidential user information stored locally on the device. The vulnerability affects the device's core security architecture, specifically targeting the kernel-level memory management and data access controls that should prevent unauthorized information retrieval. This creates a persistent threat vector that remains active until the device receives the security patch or the vulnerable firmware is updated.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-8165 require immediate firmware updates to the affected Huawei Mate 9 devices, specifically targeting the MHA-AL00BC00B233 version or later. Users should disable installation of applications from unknown sources and maintain regular security updates to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities. Organizations implementing mobile device management policies should ensure all Huawei Mate 9 devices receive the necessary security patches and consider temporary restrictions on device usage until updates are confirmed. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation and highlights the need for robust application sandboxing mechanisms to prevent privilege escalation attacks that could compromise system integrity. Security professionals should monitor for related vulnerabilities in the same device lineage and implement comprehensive mobile security frameworks that address both known and emerging threats.