CVE-2020-0317 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In UsageStatsManager, there is a possible access to protected data due to a missing permission check. This could lead to local information disclosure with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-11Android ID: A-119671929
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-0317 resides within the UsageStatsManager component of Android operating systems, specifically affecting Android 11 and earlier versions. This flaw represents a critical security oversight that allows unauthorized access to protected usage statistics data without requiring any additional privileges or user interaction. The issue stems from a missing permission check within the UsageStatsManager implementation, creating a pathway for malicious actors to extract sensitive usage information from the device.
The technical flaw manifests as a permission validation failure within the system's usage statistics management framework. When applications attempt to access usage data through the UsageStatsManager, the system should verify appropriate permissions before granting access to protected information. However, this validation mechanism is absent or insufficient, allowing any application with basic access to potentially retrieve detailed usage patterns, application interaction data, and other sensitive statistics that should remain protected. This vulnerability operates at the system level, leveraging the inherent trust placed in legitimate system components while bypassing expected security boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as usage statistics often contain sensitive data about user behavior, application preferences, and device interaction patterns. Attackers can exploit this weakness to gather detailed profiles of user activities, potentially identifying personal habits, work routines, and application usage patterns that could be used for targeted attacks or privacy violations. The lack of requirement for additional execution privileges or user interaction makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited silently in the background without user awareness or consent. This type of information disclosure aligns with attack patterns described in the ATT&CK framework under data collection techniques, specifically targeting user activity monitoring and behavioral analysis capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-0317 should focus on implementing proper permission validation within the UsageStatsManager component. System administrators and device manufacturers should ensure that all access requests to usage statistics data include comprehensive permission checks before granting access. The fix typically involves strengthening the permission validation logic to ensure that applications must possess appropriate permissions before accessing protected usage data. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and auditing mechanisms can help detect unauthorized access attempts to usage statistics. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining strict security boundaries within system components and aligns with CWE categories related to insufficient permission checks and improper access control mechanisms. Regular security updates and proper patch management are essential to address this vulnerability and prevent potential exploitation by malicious actors seeking to gather sensitive user information through unauthorized access to device usage statistics.