CVE-2018-16270 in Galaxy Gear
Summary
by MITRE
Samsung Galaxy Gear series before build RE2 includes the hcidump utility with no privilege or permission restriction. This allows an unprivileged process to dump Bluetooth HCI packets to an arbitrary file path.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-16270 affects Samsung Galaxy Gear series devices prior to build RE2, specifically targeting the hcidump utility implementation within the device's operating system. This flaw represents a critical security oversight that undermines the device's privilege separation mechanisms and creates an avenue for unauthorized data access. The hcidump utility, designed for Bluetooth protocol analysis and debugging purposes, operates without proper access controls or permission validation, allowing any unprivileged process to execute it with elevated capabilities. This misconfiguration directly violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and access control enforcement that should be inherent in mobile operating systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the absence of proper privilege checks within the hcidump utility implementation. When executed, this utility can capture and dump Bluetooth HCI (Host Controller Interface) packets to any specified file path on the device's filesystem. This functionality, while legitimate for authorized debugging purposes, becomes dangerous when accessible to unprivileged applications. The flaw enables attackers to capture sensitive Bluetooth communication data including connection parameters, authentication information, and potentially encrypted payloads that traverse the Bluetooth interface. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege. The operational impact extends beyond simple data exposure, as captured Bluetooth packets may contain information that could be leveraged for further attacks against the device or connected peripherals.
The security implications of this vulnerability are particularly concerning given the nature of wearable devices like the Galaxy Gear series, which often maintain persistent Bluetooth connections with smartphones and other IoT devices. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability could potentially intercept Bluetooth communication between the wearable device and paired smartphones, gaining access to authentication tokens, session information, and other sensitive data that could facilitate further exploitation. This capability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1046, which involves network service scanning, and T1071.001, which covers application layer protocol communication. The ability to write arbitrary files through the hcidump utility also opens possibilities for file system manipulation and persistence mechanisms, as attackers could potentially use this to place malicious files in system directories or create backdoor access points.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper access controls and privilege enforcement mechanisms. Device manufacturers should ensure that utilities like hcidump are properly restricted to privileged processes only, typically requiring root or system-level permissions to execute. System administrators should implement proper file system permissions and access controls, particularly around directories where Bluetooth debugging utilities might be located. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security hardening in mobile operating systems and demonstrates the necessity of comprehensive security testing during the development lifecycle. Organizations should also implement network monitoring solutions to detect anomalous Bluetooth traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, regular firmware updates and security patches should be deployed to address such vulnerabilities, emphasizing the critical role of timely security maintenance in protecting mobile device ecosystems. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of security by design principles and proper privilege management in embedded systems and mobile platforms.