CVE-2019-5212 in Share
Summary
by MITRE
There is an improper access control vulnerability in Huawei Share. The software does not properly restrict access to certain file from certain application. An attacker tricks the user into installing a malicious application then establishing a connect to the attacker through Huawei Share, successful exploit could cause information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5212 represents a critical improper access control flaw within Huawei Share functionality, a feature designed to facilitate file sharing between Huawei devices. This weakness stems from inadequate restrictions on file access permissions, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the system's trust model. The vulnerability specifically affects Huawei's proprietary file sharing mechanism that enables seamless data transfer between compatible devices, making it a prime target for attackers seeking unauthorized data access. The flaw exists in the application layer where Huawei Share fails to properly validate or authenticate file access requests from potentially untrusted applications, thereby undermining the security boundaries that should protect sensitive user data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests when an attacker successfully convinces a user to install a malicious application that leverages Huawei Share's file sharing capabilities. This malicious application can then establish communication with the Huawei Share service and exploit the improper access controls to gain unauthorized access to files that should be restricted to specific applications or users. The attack vector relies heavily on social engineering to bypass user awareness, as the malicious installation must occur before the exploit can be successfully executed. The vulnerability creates a scenario where the legitimate file sharing functionality becomes a conduit for information disclosure, as the system fails to properly distinguish between trusted and untrusted applications attempting to access shared files. This misconfiguration essentially allows any application with access to the Huawei Share interface to potentially read or manipulate files that should remain protected.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it represents a fundamental breakdown in Huawei's application sandboxing and access control mechanisms. Attackers could potentially access sensitive personal files, documents, photos, or other data that users expect to remain private and protected within their device ecosystem. The exploitation process could lead to comprehensive data breaches, identity theft, or other malicious activities that leverage the stolen information for further attacks. The vulnerability affects all Huawei devices running the affected software versions where Huawei Share is enabled, creating a widespread security risk across multiple device models and operating system versions. This type of flaw directly violates the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in implementing proper access control checks that should be enforced at the application level.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-5212 should focus on immediate software updates from Huawei to patch the access control implementation. Users should disable Huawei Share functionality if not essential for their use case, particularly on devices that cannot receive timely updates. Network monitoring solutions should be employed to detect unusual file sharing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control issues, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in system design. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access, as attackers can leverage the improper access control to gain unauthorized data access. Organizations should implement application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized applications from accessing Huawei Share services, and security teams should conduct regular audits to ensure proper access control enforcement. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper input validation and access control implementation in mobile operating systems, particularly in features that handle cross-application data sharing.