CVE-2018-10500 in GALAXY Apps
Summary
by MITRE
This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on vulnerable installations of Samsung Galaxy Apps Fixed in version 6.4.0.15. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the handling of push messages. The issue lies in the ability to start an activity with controlled arguments. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges to resources normally protected from the application. Was ZDI-CAN-5331.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-10500 represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw within Samsung Galaxy Apps, specifically affecting versions prior to 6.4.0.15. This weakness falls under the category of improper privilege management and can be classified as CWE-276, which deals with incorrect permissions for critical resources. The vulnerability operates through a sophisticated attack vector that leverages the application's handling of push notifications, making it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through legitimate communication channels that users typically trust. The flaw exists in the Android application framework's activity launching mechanism, where controlled arguments can be passed to start activities with elevated privileges, creating a pathway for unauthorized access to protected system resources.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to first gain a foothold with low-privileged code execution capabilities, typically through a separate initial compromise or by leveraging another vulnerability. Once the attacker has achieved this baseline access, they can craft malicious push messages that, when processed by the vulnerable Galaxy Apps component, trigger the privilege escalation. The underlying flaw stems from insufficient input validation and improper access control checks within the application's message processing pipeline. The push notification system fails to properly validate the arguments passed to activity launchers, allowing an attacker to manipulate these parameters to execute code with higher privileges than initially granted. This mechanism aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and specifically targets weaknesses in application sandboxing and privilege boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it allows attackers to gain access to sensitive system resources that should normally be protected from standard application execution contexts. Successful exploitation can lead to complete system compromise, enabling attackers to access user data, modify system configurations, install malicious applications, or even escalate to full root privileges depending on the device's security model. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects a widely used application on Samsung devices and can be exploited without requiring physical access to the device, making it a prime target for remote attacks through compromised push notification services or malicious applications that can send crafted messages to vulnerable systems. Organizations and users must understand that this vulnerability represents a fundamental breakdown in Android's application security model, where legitimate system communication channels become attack vectors for privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-10500 should prioritize immediate patch deployment to version 6.4.0.15 or later, as provided by Samsung. System administrators should implement network monitoring to detect unusual push notification traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing application control policies that restrict the execution of applications that handle push notifications from untrusted sources. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices around activity launching and argument validation, as outlined in the OWASP Mobile Top 10 and Android Security Best Practices. Device manufacturers and security teams should also consider implementing additional runtime protections such as SELinux policy enforcement and privilege separation mechanisms to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future. Given the nature of the flaw, which involves improper access control during system message processing, it is recommended that security teams conduct thorough audits of all push notification handling components within their mobile application ecosystems to identify potential similar weaknesses.