CVE-2020-1798 in P30
Summary
by MITRE
HUAWEI P30 smartphones with versions earlier than 10.1.0.135(C00E135R2P11) have an improper authentication vulnerability. A logic error occurs when handling NFC work, an attacker should establish a NFC connection to the target phone, and then do a series of operations on the target phone. Successful exploit could allow a guest user do certain operation which is beyond the guest user's privilege.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/20/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-1798 represents a critical authentication flaw in Huawei P30 smartphones running firmware versions prior to 10.1.0.135(C00E135R2P11. This issue stems from a logic error within the Near Field Communication (NFC) processing subsystem which fundamentally undermines the device's access control mechanisms. The flaw allows unauthorized users to escalate their privileges through a carefully orchestrated sequence of NFC interactions that bypass the intended security boundaries between guest and authenticated user contexts.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs during NFC session handling where the device fails to properly validate authentication states and user permissions. When an attacker establishes an NFC connection to the target device, the system's logic error enables them to manipulate the NFC transaction flow in a manner that permits guest users to perform administrative operations typically restricted to authenticated users. This represents a classic privilege escalation vulnerability where the logical flaw in the NFC protocol implementation creates an unintended pathway for unauthorized access. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the hardware-software interface level where NFC transactions are processed, making it difficult to detect through traditional software-based security measures.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability exposes Huawei P30 devices to significant security risks as it allows attackers to perform actions that should be restricted to users with proper authentication credentials. The attack vector requires physical proximity due to the NFC requirement, but once established, the attacker can execute operations that may include system configuration changes, data access modifications, or privilege elevation that could lead to complete device compromise. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access as this vulnerability could enable attackers to establish persistent access points or facilitate further exploitation through the elevated privileges gained. The vulnerability affects a substantial user base of Huawei P30 devices, making it a significant concern for enterprise security and individual privacy protection.
The underlying cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which describes improper access control in software systems. The flaw demonstrates how NFC-specific logic errors can create security boundaries that are not properly enforced, allowing unauthorized operations to proceed. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and specifically relates to T1068 - Exploitation for Privilege Escalation and T1547 - Boot or Logon Autostart Execution. The vulnerability also reflects poor input validation and authentication flow management in mobile operating systems. Organizations should immediately implement firmware updates to address this issue and conduct security assessments to ensure no other similar NFC-related logic errors exist in their mobile device fleets. Additionally, security teams should consider deploying mobile device management solutions that can monitor for unauthorized NFC connections and implement network-level controls to limit NFC functionality where possible.