CVE-2020-0374 in Android
Summary
by MITRE
In NFC, there is a possible permission bypass due to an unsafe PendingIntent. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-11Android ID: A-156251602
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/18/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-0374 resides within the Near Field Communication (NFC) subsystem of Android operating systems, specifically affecting Android 11 and earlier versions. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that allows malicious actors to escalate their privileges from standard user level to system-level access. The vulnerability stems from an unsafe PendingIntent implementation within the NFC service, which creates an exploitable condition that bypasses normal permission controls. According to the Android security bulletin, this issue affects the core NFC framework and could potentially enable unauthorized code execution with elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous for mobile device security.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in how the NFC service handles PendingIntent objects, which are used to schedule actions that occur at a later time. When an application creates a PendingIntent, it typically specifies the target component and the action to be performed. However, in this case, the NFC implementation fails to properly validate the permissions associated with these PendingIntents, allowing an attacker to craft malicious intents that can bypass normal access controls. This unsafe handling creates a privilege escalation vector where an unprivileged user process can manipulate NFC operations to gain elevated system privileges. The vulnerability is classified as a permission bypass issue that falls under CWE-284, which specifically addresses improper access control in software systems. The flaw demonstrates a classic example of insufficient privilege checking in inter-process communication mechanisms, where the system fails to properly enforce security boundaries between different application contexts.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-0374 extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can enable attackers to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges, potentially compromising the entire device. Since exploitation requires only user execution privileges and no user interaction, the vulnerability is particularly concerning for mobile environments where users may unknowingly trigger malicious NFC operations. The attack surface includes any NFC-enabled Android device running affected versions, making it a widespread concern for enterprise and consumer mobile security. This vulnerability can be leveraged to install malicious applications, modify system files, access sensitive user data, or even establish persistent backdoors on compromised devices. The lack of user interaction requirement makes this vector particularly stealthy and dangerous, as it can be exploited through NFC tags, devices, or other NFC-enabled communication channels without the user's knowledge or consent. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques under the T1068 category, specifically targeting the use of unsafe object manipulation to gain elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-0374 primarily focus on applying the official Android security patches released by Google, which address the underlying PendingIntent handling mechanism in the NFC service. Organizations should prioritize updating all affected Android devices to the latest security patches, particularly those released in the May 2020 security bulletin. Network administrators should also implement additional monitoring for suspicious NFC activity and consider restricting NFC functionality in enterprise environments until proper patching is completed. Device manufacturers and carriers must ensure timely delivery of security updates to end users, as the vulnerability's exploitability increases when devices remain unpatched. The mitigation approach aligns with standard security practices outlined in NIST SP 800-40 and ISO 27001 frameworks, emphasizing the importance of timely patch management and vulnerability remediation. Additionally, security teams should conduct risk assessments to determine the potential impact of this vulnerability on their specific environments and consider implementing network segmentation to limit the potential damage from successful exploitation attempts.