CVE-2018-7990 in Mate 10 Pro
Summary
by MITRE
Mate10 Pro Huawei smart phones with the versions before 8.1.0.326(C00) have a FRP bypass vulnerability. During the mobile phone reseting process, an attacker could bypass "Find My Phone" protect after a series of voice and keyboard operations. Successful exploit could allow an attacker to bypass FRP.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/07/2023
The CVE-2018-7990 vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in Huawei Mate10 Pro smartphones running firmware versions prior to 8.1.0.326(C00). This vulnerability specifically targets the Factory Reset Protection (FRP) mechanism that is designed to prevent unauthorized access to devices after a factory reset operation. The FRP feature serves as a fundamental security control that requires users to authenticate with their Google account credentials before a device can be fully reset and reactivated, thereby protecting against device theft and unauthorized recovery.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs during the device reset process when attackers can bypass the FRP protection through a series of specific voice and keyboard operations. This bypass mechanism allows malicious actors to circumvent the intended security controls that should normally prevent unauthorized access to a device's data and functionality. The vulnerability essentially creates a backdoor in the device's security architecture that undermines the core purpose of FRP protection. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-284 category, which addresses improper access control issues in software systems, where the device fails to properly enforce access restrictions during critical operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple device theft scenarios, as it enables attackers to gain full access to a device's functionality, data, and potentially personal information. When an attacker successfully bypasses FRP protection, they can effectively reset the device without proper authentication, allowing them to reinstall the operating system and access all stored data. This vulnerability particularly affects users who may have lost their devices or had them stolen, as it removes the primary protection mechanism that should prevent unauthorized individuals from recovering or using the device. The attack vector leverages the device's user interface interaction patterns and keyboard input sequences that were not properly validated or secured against malicious manipulation.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability represents a significant risk to device users and aligns with tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the 'Initial Access' and 'Persistence' domains. The ability to bypass FRP protection directly impacts the device's security posture and can be classified as a privilege escalation vulnerability that allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to protected device functionality. Organizations and individuals should prioritize immediate firmware updates to address this vulnerability, as the window of opportunity for exploitation remains open for devices running affected firmware versions. The remediation process requires users to update their device software to version 8.1.0.326(C00) or later, which includes patches specifically designed to address the improper validation of user interactions during the reset process. Without proper patching, affected devices remain vulnerable to attacks that could result in complete data compromise and unauthorized device control.