CVE-2018-7961 in Smart Phone
Summary
by MITRE
There is a smart SMS verification code vulnerability in some Huawei smart phones. An attacker should trick a user to access malicious Website or malicious App and register. Due to incorrect processing of the smart SMS verification code, successful exploitation can cause sensitive information leak.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/12/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-7961 represents a critical security flaw in certain Huawei smartphone models that affects the handling of smart SMS verification codes. This weakness stems from inadequate input validation and processing mechanisms within the mobile operating system's SMS handling framework, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the verification system. The vulnerability specifically targets the way these devices process and validate SMS-based authentication codes, which are commonly used for account registration, password reset, and other security-sensitive operations.
The technical implementation of this flaw allows attackers to manipulate the verification process through social engineering tactics that trick users into visiting malicious websites or installing compromised applications. When users attempt to register for services or perform authentication actions, the system fails to properly validate the received SMS verification codes, enabling unauthorized access to sensitive user information. This vulnerability operates at the application layer and leverages the trust model inherent in SMS-based authentication systems, where the mobile device assumes that incoming verification codes originate from legitimate sources.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for user privacy and data security across affected Huawei smartphone models. Successful exploitation can lead to unauthorized account access, identity theft, and exposure of personal information that was protected by SMS-based verification mechanisms. The attack vector requires user interaction through malicious websites or applications, but once initiated, the exploitation process can bypass traditional security controls that rely on SMS verification for access control. This creates a persistent threat model where users may unknowingly compromise their accounts during routine registration or authentication processes.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation," and demonstrates how insufficient validation of SMS verification codes can create security weaknesses in mobile authentication systems. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving social engineering and credential access through manipulation of authentication systems. The attack chain typically begins with user interaction with malicious content, followed by exploitation of the SMS verification code processing flaw, ultimately resulting in information disclosure. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns and consider alternative authentication methods for sensitive operations. The remediation approach requires Huawei to address the core validation logic in their SMS processing libraries and potentially implement additional layers of verification beyond traditional SMS codes to prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in future implementations.