CVE-2020-28342 in Samsung
Summary
by MITRE • 11/08/2020
An issue was discovered on Samsung mobile devices with P(9.0) and Q(10.0) (China / India) software. The S Secure application allows attackers to bypass authentication for a locked Gallery application via the Reminder application. The Samsung ID is SVE-2020-18689 (November 2020).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/03/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-28342 represents a significant authentication bypass flaw affecting Samsung mobile devices running Android Pie (9.0) and Q (10.0) versions in China and India markets. This security weakness resides within the Samsung S Secure application ecosystem, which serves as a core component of Samsung's security framework for device protection. The flaw specifically impacts the Gallery application's authentication mechanism, creating a pathway for unauthorized access that undermines the fundamental security model designed to protect user media content on mobile devices. The vulnerability was catalogued under Samsung's internal identification SVE-2020-18689 and publicly disclosed in November 2020, highlighting the ongoing challenges in mobile security implementations where interconnected applications can create unexpected attack vectors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper authorization checks within the Samsung S Secure application that governs access to protected content. Attackers can exploit this weakness by leveraging the Reminder application as an intermediary to gain unauthorized access to the Gallery application without proper authentication. This cross-application privilege escalation occurs because the S Secure application fails to adequately validate access requests from the Reminder application when attempting to interact with Gallery functionality. The flaw essentially allows an attacker to circumvent the normal authentication flow that should require user credentials or biometric verification before accessing protected media files. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, specifically focusing on insufficient authorization mechanisms within application frameworks.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially expose sensitive user data stored in gallery applications. Mobile devices running affected Samsung software versions become vulnerable to media theft, privacy breaches, and potential data exfiltration through unauthorized access to photos, videos, and other personal content. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it exploits the trust relationship between applications, making it difficult for users to detect unauthorized access attempts. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability could enable adversaries to collect personal information, evidence of illicit activities, or sensitive documents stored in gallery applications, representing a substantial privacy and security risk for affected users. The impact is amplified in enterprise environments where mobile devices may contain corporate data alongside personal information, creating potential data breach scenarios that could compromise both individual privacy and organizational security.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate attention from Samsung device users and security administrators. The primary recommended action involves installing the latest security patches released by Samsung, which address the authorization bypass in the S Secure application and restore proper access controls for Gallery functionality. Users should ensure their devices are updated to the latest Android security patches available through Samsung's official update channels, particularly focusing on the specific fixes related to S Secure and Gallery application interactions. System administrators managing Samsung devices in enterprise environments should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify affected devices and implement mandatory update policies. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing supplementary security controls such as application whitelisting, device encryption enforcement, and regular security audits to reduce the attack surface. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date mobile device security and highlights the need for continuous monitoring of application interactions within mobile ecosystems, as outlined in ATT&CK framework's T1547.001 for application installation and T1070 for indicator of compromise detection.