CVE-2020-0272 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In libhwbinder, there is a possible information disclosure due to uninitialized data. This could lead to local information disclosure with System execution privileges required. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-11Android ID: A-130166487
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/19/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-0272 resides within the libhwbinder component of Android systems, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that can be exploited locally by adversaries with system-level privileges. This issue manifests through uninitialized data handling within the hardware binder framework, which serves as a core component for inter-process communication between system services and applications. The vulnerability specifically affects Android 11 systems and has been assigned Android ID A-130166487, indicating its severity and impact on the platform's security posture.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper initialization of memory structures within libhwbinder, where sensitive data from previous operations or memory allocations may persist in uninitialized variables. This condition creates a scenario where information that should remain confidential could be inadvertently exposed through the hardware binder interface. The flaw operates at the system level, requiring only system execution privileges for exploitation rather than requiring user interaction, which significantly reduces the attack surface and increases the potential impact. According to CWE-457, this represents a use of uninitialized variables, a well-documented weakness that can lead to information disclosure and other security implications.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides potential attackers with access to sensitive system data that could be leveraged for further exploitation. An attacker with system-level privileges could potentially extract confidential information from memory segments that were not properly cleared or initialized, potentially including cryptographic keys, authentication tokens, or other sensitive operational data. The local nature of the exploit means that adversaries do not require network connectivity or user interaction to perform the attack, making it particularly concerning for systems where system privileges are accessible to untrusted code or where privilege escalation is possible. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005, which focuses on data from local system sources, and T1059, which covers command and scripting interpreter usage in system contexts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-0272 should prioritize immediate system updates from Android security patches that address the uninitialized data handling in libhwbinder. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring for suspicious system activities that could indicate exploitation attempts, particularly focusing on memory access patterns and inter-process communication anomalies. Additionally, system administrators should conduct thorough security assessments to identify potential privilege escalation vectors that could lead to system-level access, as the vulnerability requires system execution privileges for exploitation. The fix typically involves proper initialization of memory structures and ensuring that sensitive data is not exposed through uninitialized variables in the hardware binder implementation. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar uninitialized data issues across the Android framework components, as this represents a pattern of vulnerabilities that can be exploited for information disclosure attacks.