CVE-2019-19690 in Mobile Security
Summary
by MITRE
Trend Micro Mobile Security for Android (Consumer) versions 10.3.1 and below on Android 8.0+ has an issue in which an attacker could bypass the product's App Password Protection feature.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/15/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-19690 affects Trend Micro Mobile Security for Android consumer edition versions 10.3.1 and earlier, specifically on devices running Android 8.0 and higher operating systems. This security flaw resides within the application's App Password Protection feature, which is designed to safeguard sensitive applications and data through authentication mechanisms. The issue represents a critical weakness in the mobile security product's access control implementation, potentially undermining the security posture of users who rely on this protection mechanism. The vulnerability demonstrates a fundamental failure in the authentication flow that governs how the system verifies user identity before granting access to protected applications.
The technical implementation flaw involves a weakness in how the application handles authentication state transitions and validation checks within the App Password Protection framework. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating the application's internal state or by leveraging specific timing conditions that allow bypass of the password verification process. This weakness likely stems from insufficient input validation, improper state management, or flawed cryptographic implementation within the authentication flow. The vulnerability may involve issues such as race conditions, improper session handling, or inadequate validation of authentication tokens that enable unauthorized access to protected applications. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically related to insufficient access control mechanisms and improper authentication enforcement.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially compromise sensitive user data and applications. When attackers successfully bypass the App Password Protection, they gain access to protected applications without proper authentication, potentially exposing personal information, financial data, or confidential business information stored within these applications. The vulnerability affects the core security promise of the mobile security solution, undermining user trust in the product's ability to protect their digital assets. Attackers could leverage this weakness to perform data theft, financial fraud, or other malicious activities targeting applications that users believe are protected by the password protection feature. The vulnerability's exploitation potential is particularly concerning given that it affects consumer-grade mobile security software that many users rely on for daily protection.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of the vendor's security patch or update to version 10.3.2 or later, which addresses the authentication bypass issue through proper state validation and enhanced access control mechanisms. Organizations and individual users should disable the affected App Password Protection feature until the patch is applied, and implement additional monitoring for suspicious authentication attempts or unauthorized access patterns. Security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of their mobile security configurations and review access control policies to ensure proper implementation of authentication mechanisms. The remediation process should also involve user education regarding the importance of keeping mobile security applications updated and understanding the risks associated with outdated security software. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability relates to techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, emphasizing the need for robust authentication controls and proper access management within mobile security ecosystems.