CVE-2018-16263 in Tizen
Summary
by MITRE
The PulseAudio system service in Tizen allows an unprivileged process to control its A2DP MediaEndpoint, due to improper D-Bus security policy configurations. This affects Tizen before 5.0 M1, and Tizen-based firmwares including Samsung Galaxy Gear series before build RE2.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/23/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16263 represents a critical security flaw in the PulseAudio system service implementation within the Tizen operating system. This issue stems from inadequate D-Bus security policy configurations that permit unprivileged processes to manipulate the A2DP MediaEndpoint functionality. The vulnerability specifically impacts Tizen versions prior to 5.0 M1 and affects Tizen-based firmware implementations including Samsung Galaxy Gear series devices before the RE2 build. The fundamental flaw lies in the improper access control mechanisms that should have restricted MediaEndpoint operations to privileged system components only.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues in software systems. The flaw manifests through the D-Bus communication framework where the PulseAudio service fails to properly validate incoming requests for A2DP MediaEndpoint control. This misconfiguration allows any unprivileged process to send malicious D-Bus messages that can manipulate audio streaming parameters, potentially enabling unauthorized audio data interception or modification. The vulnerability exploits the trust model inherent in D-Bus communication where legitimate system components are granted appropriate access rights while unauthorized processes should be denied such privileges.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant security implications for embedded devices running Tizen-based systems. Attackers could potentially exploit this flaw to intercept audio streams, inject malicious audio content, or disrupt audio services on affected devices. The impact extends beyond simple privacy concerns to potential system compromise scenarios where audio manipulation could serve as a vector for broader exploitation. The affected Samsung Galaxy Gear series devices represent a substantial attack surface given their wearable computing nature and the sensitive data they may process. This vulnerability particularly affects the ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting legitimate credentials or access rights to gain system access, as the flaw allows unauthorized processes to leverage legitimate D-Bus interfaces.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-16263 should focus on implementing proper D-Bus security policies that enforce strict access control for PulseAudio service endpoints. System administrators should upgrade affected Tizen versions to 5.0 M1 or later where the vulnerability has been addressed through improved D-Bus policy configurations. The remediation process involves configuring D-Bus access rules to ensure that only authorized system components can interact with the A2DP MediaEndpoint functionality. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive D-Bus security monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts and establish proper privilege separation mechanisms. The fix typically involves modifying the D-Bus policy files to restrict access permissions and implementing stricter authentication requirements for MediaEndpoint operations. Device manufacturers should also conduct thorough security assessments of their embedded systems to identify similar D-Bus access control vulnerabilities that may exist in other system services.