CVE-2018-7906 in Smart Phone
Summary
by MITRE
Some Huawei smart phones with software of Leland-AL00 8.0.0.114(C636), Leland-AL00A 8.0.0.171(C00) have a denial of service (DoS) vulnerability. An attacker can trick a user to install a malicious application to exploit this vulnerability. Due to insufficient verification of the parameter, successful exploitation can cause the smartphone black screen until restarting the phone.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2023
The CVE-2018-7906 vulnerability affects specific Huawei smartphone models running particular software versions, namely Leland-AL00 with firmware 8.0.0.114(C636) and Leland-AL00A with firmware 8.0.0.171(C00). This vulnerability represents a denial of service condition that can be exploited through social engineering tactics, where an attacker convinces a user to install a malicious application. The flaw manifests in the insufficient parameter validation mechanisms within the device's operating system, creating a security weakness that can be systematically exploited. The vulnerability's impact is significant as it can render the affected devices completely inoperable by causing a black screen display that persists until the device is manually restarted. This represents a critical failure in the system's input validation and error handling mechanisms, as the device cannot properly handle malformed or malicious inputs without crashing or becoming unresponsive.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes "Improper Input Validation" as a fundamental weakness in software design. The flaw occurs when the system fails to adequately verify or sanitize input parameters, allowing malicious payloads to trigger unexpected behavior. The attack vector involves application installation, which falls under the ATT&CK technique T1106 for "Local Execution" and potentially T1059 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter" if the malicious application can execute code. The vulnerability demonstrates a lack of proper bounds checking and input sanitization in the mobile operating system's framework, particularly in how it processes application installation parameters or system calls. The specific manifestation of a black screen indicates that the device's graphical user interface or display subsystem is being compromised through this parameter validation failure, likely through memory corruption or invalid state transitions in the system's rendering components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it creates a persistent threat to device availability and user productivity. Users who inadvertently install malicious applications face complete device incapacitation requiring manual intervention to restore functionality. This vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where mobile devices may contain sensitive corporate data and where device reliability is crucial for business operations. The DoS condition can be triggered remotely through malicious applications distributed via unofficial app stores or phishing campaigns, making it a significant threat vector for attackers seeking to disrupt mobile device functionality. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal technical skill from attackers, as it leverages social engineering rather than complex technical exploits, making it particularly dangerous in widespread deployment scenarios.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on both immediate protective measures and long-term system hardening approaches. Users should avoid installing applications from untrusted sources and maintain current firmware updates from official Huawei channels when available. System administrators should implement mobile device management policies that restrict application installation and enforce security controls. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation and parameter checking in mobile operating systems, emphasizing the need for comprehensive testing of system interfaces. Organizations should consider implementing network-level controls to prevent installation of potentially malicious applications and establish incident response procedures for device recovery. Security patches addressing the parameter validation flaw should be prioritized, and the vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining secure software development practices that include thorough input validation and error handling mechanisms. The issue also underscores the necessity for continuous security monitoring and vulnerability assessment in mobile environments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses before they can be exploited by malicious actors.