CVE-2018-14902 in iPrint App
Summary
by MITRE
The ContentProvider in the EPSON iPrint application 6.6.3 for Android does not properly restrict data access. This allows an attacker's application to read scanned documents.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2020
The CVE-2018-14902 vulnerability resides within the EPSON iPrint application version 6.6.3 for Android platforms, specifically within its ContentProvider implementation. This flaw represents a critical security oversight that fundamentally compromises the application's data access controls and exposes sensitive scanned documents to unauthorized third-party applications. The vulnerability manifests through improper restriction of data access pathways, creating an avenue for malicious actors to exploit the application's internal data storage mechanisms.
The technical flaw stems from the ContentProvider component failing to implement adequate security measures to prevent unauthorized access to scanned document data. ContentProviders in Android serve as intermediaries for data sharing between applications and are expected to enforce proper access controls through the Android permission system. In this case, the EPSON iPrint application's ContentProvider lacks appropriate permission checks, allowing any application with the necessary intent to access the scanned document data stored within the application's private storage space. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and exposes sensitive information through improper data access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it creates a persistent security risk for users who rely on the EPSON iPrint application for document scanning and management. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to harvest sensitive documents, potentially including personal information, business documents, or confidential data that users expect to remain private. The attack vector requires minimal sophistication as it exploits the inherent trust model of Android applications, where legitimate applications may be granted access to other applications' ContentProviders without proper verification. This vulnerability affects the confidentiality aspect of the CIA triad and represents a significant breach in the application's security posture.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-14902 should prioritize immediate patching of the EPSON iPrint application to version 6.6.4 or later, which addresses the improper ContentProvider access restrictions. System administrators and security professionals should implement application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized applications from accessing potentially vulnerable ContentProviders. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control in software systems, and relates to ATT&CK technique T1059, specifically focusing on the exploitation of application vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to system resources. Organizations should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify similar ContentProvider implementations across their Android application portfolio and ensure proper implementation of android:exported attributes and permission requirements for all ContentProvider components to prevent similar access control issues.