CVE-2018-13298 in Android Moments
Summary
by MITRE
Channel accessible by non-endpoint vulnerability in privacy page in Synology Android Moments before 1.2.3-199 allows man-in-the-middle attackers to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-13298 represents a critical security flaw in Synology Android Moments application versions prior to 1.2.3-199. This issue manifests as a channel accessibility problem within the privacy page functionality, creating an unintended pathway for malicious actors to compromise the system. The vulnerability specifically affects the communication channels used by the Moments application, which is designed to manage and share photos and videos from Synology DiskStation devices to mobile clients. The flaw allows unauthorized access through a channel that should only be available to legitimate endpoint devices, creating a significant attack surface for man-in-the-middle adversaries who can exploit this weakness to execute arbitrary code on affected systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms within the application's privacy page implementation. When users interact with the privacy settings or related functionalities, the application fails to properly validate the authenticity and authorization status of connecting devices. This weakness creates a scenario where network traffic can be intercepted and manipulated by attackers positioned between the mobile client and the Synology DiskStation device. The unspecified vectors mentioned in the description suggest that the vulnerability could be exploited through multiple attack pathways including network interception, session hijacking, or protocol manipulation. The flaw essentially allows attackers to establish unauthorized communication channels that bypass normal authentication and authorization processes, enabling them to inject malicious code into the target system.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks to organizations and individual users relying on Synology Moments for photo and video management. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can execute arbitrary code on the target system, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or the installation of persistent backdoors. The man-in-the-middle attack capability means that even if users believe they are communicating securely with their Synology devices, attackers can intercept and manipulate all data flowing through the vulnerable channel. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where sensitive personal or corporate data is stored and shared through Synology DiskStation systems, making it a prime target for both individual attackers and organized threat groups. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to include potential system takeover and ongoing surveillance capabilities that could persist long after the initial exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-13298 should prioritize immediate software updates to versions 1.2.3-199 or later, which contain the necessary patches to address the access control weakness. Network administrators should implement additional security controls including network segmentation, firewall rules that restrict access to Synology services, and enhanced monitoring of network traffic for suspicious activities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1071.004 for application layer protocol manipulation. Organizations should also consider implementing network traffic analysis tools to detect potential man-in-the-middle activities and establish robust incident response procedures for handling potential exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of mobile applications and their communication protocols should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other systems, as this flaw demonstrates the importance of proper channel validation and authentication mechanisms in mobile-to-network communication scenarios.