CVE-2018-9501 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In the SetupWizard, there is a possible Factory Reset Protection bypass due to a permissions bypass. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Product: Android Versions: Android-7.0 Android-7.1.1 Android-7.1.2 Android-8.0 Android-8.1 Android-9.0 Android ID: A-110034419
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/29/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-9501 resides within the Android SetupWizard component, specifically targeting the Factory Reset Protection mechanism that is designed to prevent unauthorized device access following a factory reset operation. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that allows attackers to bypass the intended protection measures without requiring any user interaction or additional privileges, fundamentally undermining the device's security posture. The vulnerability affects multiple Android versions including 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0, 8.1, and 9.0, indicating a widespread impact across the Android ecosystem.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from an improper permissions check within the SetupWizard application that fails to adequately validate the security context of operations performed during the initial device setup process. This permissions bypass allows malicious actors to exploit the device's recovery mechanisms and potentially gain elevated privileges without the need for additional execution privileges or user consent. The flaw operates at the system level where the device's security controls are meant to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive functions during the factory reset process, but instead provides a pathway for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it enables local privilege escalation attacks that can be executed silently in the background without any user interaction. This means that an attacker who gains access to the device through other means could leverage this vulnerability to elevate their privileges and gain access to system-level functions that should be restricted. The lack of user interaction requirement makes this particularly dangerous as it can be exploited automatically without any human intervention, potentially allowing for complete device compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control in software systems, and maps to attack techniques within the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation categories. The specific attack pattern involves leveraging system-level permissions bypass to achieve local privilege escalation, which can lead to complete device compromise and data exfiltration. Organizations and users should implement immediate mitigations including applying the latest security patches from Google, monitoring for suspicious device behavior, and ensuring that proper device encryption and authentication mechanisms are in place. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper permission validation in system-level components and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of device setup and recovery mechanisms.