CVE-2020-0312 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In Battery Saver, there is a possible permission bypass due to an unsafe PendingIntent. This could lead to local information disclosure with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-11Android ID: A-153879099
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-0312 resides within Android's Battery Saver functionality, representing a critical permission bypass issue that stems from an unsafe PendingIntent implementation. This flaw exists in Android 11 and affects the operating system's security model by allowing unauthorized access to sensitive user information. The vulnerability's classification as a permission bypass indicates that an attacker can potentially circumvent the normal access controls that should protect user data and system resources.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in how the Battery Saver component handles PendingIntent objects, which are used to schedule actions that occur at a later time. When an application creates a PendingIntent, it typically includes flags that determine the security context and permissions required to execute the pending operation. In this case, the unsafe PendingIntent implementation fails to properly enforce the necessary permission checks, allowing malicious applications to construct and execute pending intents that would normally be restricted. This unsafe handling creates an attack surface where unauthorized code can access protected system resources through the Battery Saver interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables local information disclosure when executed with user-level privileges. While user interaction is not required for exploitation, the attack vector still requires the malicious application to be running with user execution privileges, which are typically granted to standard applications. This means that any application with sufficient permissions could potentially exploit this vulnerability to access sensitive user data, system information, or other protected resources that should normally be restricted to system-level processes or applications with elevated privileges. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of Android's permission system and could potentially allow attackers to gather information about the device's battery usage patterns, user behavior, or other sensitive data that the Battery Saver component normally protects.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and relates to the ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting legitimate credentials or privileges. The unsafe PendingIntent handling represents a failure in proper privilege enforcement and could potentially enable more sophisticated attacks if combined with other vulnerabilities. Security researchers have classified this issue as particularly concerning because it operates within a system component that users frequently interact with and trust, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking to gather sensitive information without requiring complex social engineering or additional privilege escalation techniques.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability involve implementing proper PendingIntent flag validation, ensuring that all pending intents created by the Battery Saver component enforce appropriate permission checks, and updating the Android operating system to versions that contain patches for this specific issue. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring for suspicious PendingIntent usage patterns and ensure that applications with access to system components like Battery Saver maintain the principle of least privilege. Given that this vulnerability affects Android 11, users should ensure their devices are updated to the latest security patches provided by their device manufacturers, as these patches typically address the unsafe PendingIntent handling mechanisms that enable the permission bypass.