CVE-2018-9464 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 01/18/2025
In multiple locations, there is a possible way to read protected files due to a missing permission check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/11/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9464 represents a critical permission bypass flaw that exists across multiple system components within affected software implementations. This issue stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that fail to properly validate user permissions before allowing file access operations. The vulnerability manifests when the system does not enforce proper authorization checks, creating opportunities for unauthorized file reading operations that should be restricted to privileged users or specific contexts. The flaw operates at a fundamental level of system security architecture where proper privilege separation is not maintained during file access requests.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves missing permission validation checks that should occur during file system operations. When applications attempt to access protected files, the absence of proper authorization verification allows malicious actors to bypass normal access controls. This weakness typically occurs in kernel-level or system-level components where file access routines fail to properly authenticate the requesting entity against established permission models. The vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors that leverage the missing authorization checks, potentially allowing any user to access files that should only be available to administrators or specific system processes.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a significant risk for local privilege escalation attacks without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. The absence of user interaction requirements makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited automatically without any human intervention. Attackers can leverage this flaw to gain access to sensitive system files, configuration data, or other protected resources that contain critical information such as authentication credentials, system configurations, or proprietary data. The local escalation of privilege means that an attacker with basic user access can potentially elevate their privileges to administrative levels, undermining the entire security model of the affected system.
The impact of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues in software implementations. This classification specifically addresses situations where systems fail to properly enforce access restrictions, allowing unauthorized entities to access protected resources. The vulnerability also relates to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through system weaknesses, demonstrating how this flaw can be exploited to gain elevated system privileges. Security professionals should consider this vulnerability as part of a broader attack surface that includes other permission-related flaws and access control bypass mechanisms that could be combined to achieve more extensive system compromise.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-9464 should focus on implementing comprehensive access control validation mechanisms throughout the affected system components. System administrators should ensure that all file access operations include proper permission verification before allowing any file operations to proceed. The recommended approach involves updating affected software versions that contain patches addressing the missing authorization checks, implementing proper input validation for file access requests, and conducting thorough security reviews of system components that handle file operations. Additionally, organizations should implement monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized file access attempts and establish proper privilege separation policies that limit the scope of file access based on user roles and system requirements. Regular security assessments should be performed to identify similar permission bypass vulnerabilities that could exist in other system components.