CVE-2019-20536 in Samsung
Summary
by MITRE
An issue was discovered on Samsung mobile devices with N(7.1), O(8.x), and P(9.0) (released in China) software. The Firewall application mishandles the PermissionWhiteLists protection mechanism. The Samsung ID is SVE-2019-14299 (November 2019).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/04/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-20536 represents a critical flaw in Samsung's Firewall application implementation on mobile devices running specific versions of Android operating system. This security weakness affects devices with N(7.1), O(8.x), and P(9.0) software versions, particularly those released in China markets, indicating a targeted security gap that could compromise device integrity and user privacy. The issue stems from improper handling of the PermissionWhiteLists protection mechanism, which serves as a fundamental security control within Samsung's mobile security architecture.
The technical flaw manifests in how the Firewall application processes and validates permission whitelists, creating a potential attack vector that could allow malicious applications to bypass intended security restrictions. This vulnerability falls under the category of improper privilege management and access control enforcement, aligning with CWE-284 which addresses inadequate access control mechanisms. The flaw essentially permits unauthorized applications to gain elevated permissions or access to restricted system functions through manipulation of the permission whitelist validation process. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple permission bypass as it undermines the core security model that Samsung implements to protect users from potentially harmful applications.
Operationally, this vulnerability creates significant risks for Samsung device users in China markets where the affected software versions were deployed. Attackers could exploit this weakness to install malicious applications that gain unauthorized access to sensitive device functions, potentially leading to data theft, privacy violations, or further system compromise. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that these devices typically handle personal information, financial data, and communication services that users trust to remain secure. The vulnerability's discovery and subsequent Samsung ID SVE-2019-14299 designation indicate that this was recognized as a substantial security concern requiring immediate attention, as it could enable persistent threats that operate below the radar of standard security monitoring systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates from Samsung to address the flawed permission whitelist handling mechanism. Organizations and users should implement comprehensive device management policies that include regular security patching and monitoring for unauthorized application installations. The remediation process must ensure that the Firewall application's permission validation logic is properly hardened against manipulation attempts, requiring strict enforcement of access control policies. Security teams should also consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious permission changes or unusual application behavior patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability highlights the importance of maintaining robust security controls in mobile device management environments and underscores the need for continuous security assessment of device-specific implementations that may introduce unique attack vectors beyond standard operating system vulnerabilities. The flaw demonstrates how vendor-specific security implementations can create unexpected exposure points that require careful attention to maintain device security integrity.