CVE-2020-12731 in Flamingo
Summary
by MITRE • 07/15/2021
The MagicMotion Flamingo 2 application for Android stores data on an sdcard under com.vt.magicmotion/files/Pictures, whence it can be read by other applications.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/19/2021
The MagicMotion Flamingo 2 Android application presents a significant security vulnerability through its improper handling of sensitive data storage on external media. This flaw allows unauthorized applications to access picture files stored in the dedicated application directory on the sdcard, creating a serious data exposure risk for users of the application. The vulnerability stems from the application's failure to implement proper access controls and data protection mechanisms when storing files in a publicly accessible location.
This security weakness represents a direct violation of secure coding practices and data protection principles, as the application stores sensitive user-generated content in an insecure location that lacks proper permission controls. The flaw enables information disclosure through a simple file system traversal attack where other applications can access the com.vt.magicmotion/files/Pictures directory without proper authentication or authorization. The vulnerability manifests as a lack of file system permission enforcement and inadequate data isolation between applications, creating an attack surface that violates fundamental security design principles.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes users to potential privacy breaches and data misuse. Attackers can exploit this flaw to access personal photographs and other sensitive visual data that users expect to remain private within the application context. The impact extends beyond simple data theft to potential identity theft, social engineering attacks, and other malicious activities that rely on unauthorized access to personal visual information. The vulnerability affects all users of the application who have enabled external storage access, creating a widespread security risk across the user base.
The technical implementation of this flaw demonstrates poor adherence to security standards including those defined in the CWE catalog under CWE-276, which addresses improper file permissions and inadequate access control mechanisms. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1074.001, which covers data staging through the use of external removable media or network drives. The absence of proper file system access controls and the application's failure to implement secure data storage practices creates a persistent security weakness that can be exploited by any malicious application with appropriate permissions.
Effective mitigations for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper file system permission controls and secure data storage practices within the application. Developers should ensure that all application data stored on external storage is protected through proper access controls and that sensitive files are not stored in publicly accessible directories. The application should implement secure file handling mechanisms that enforce proper access controls and prevent unauthorized access to stored data. Additionally, security reviews should be conducted to ensure all external storage operations follow secure coding practices and that proper permission models are implemented to protect user data. Regular security testing and code reviews should be performed to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities in the application's data handling processes.