CVE-2021-25425 in Health
Summary
by MITRE • 06/11/2021
Improper check vulnerability in Samsung Health prior to version 6.17 allows attacker to read internal cache data via exported component.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/14/2021
The vulnerability CVE-2021-25425 represents a critical security flaw in Samsung Health applications prior to version 6.17, where an improper check vulnerability exists within the application's component exposure mechanism. This weakness specifically manifests in the application's handling of exported components, which are Android application components that can be accessed by other applications on the device. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of component access controls, allowing malicious applications to exploit the exported interfaces and gain unauthorized access to internal cache data. This issue falls under the CWE-284 access control weakness category, specifically addressing improper access control in Android application components. The vulnerability enables attackers to bypass normal security boundaries that should protect sensitive internal application data, creating a significant risk for user privacy and data integrity. The Samsung Health application, which stores sensitive personal health information, fitness data, and other private user metrics, becomes vulnerable to unauthorized data extraction through this improper check mechanism.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the manipulation of Android's component exposure system, where exported activities, services, or content providers fail to properly validate incoming requests. Attackers can craft malicious applications that directly interact with these exported components, bypassing the normal application security model. The exported component in question likely serves legitimate purposes for the application's functionality but lacks proper access control mechanisms to verify the identity and permissions of requesting applications. This improper check vulnerability allows for unauthorized data reading operations against internal cache storage areas that should remain protected from external access. The attack vector specifically targets the Android application component model where the application's security boundaries are improperly enforced, enabling lateral movement and data exfiltration. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient input validation and access control enforcement, where the application fails to properly authenticate or authorize external requests to internal resources.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-25425 extends beyond simple data theft, as it compromises the fundamental security model of the Samsung Health application and potentially exposes users to various downstream threats. Personal health information stored in the application's cache could be accessed by malicious actors, leading to privacy violations, identity theft, or even targeted attacks based on sensitive health data. The vulnerability affects all Samsung Health versions prior to 6.17, meaning a substantial user base remained exposed to this risk. Attackers could potentially aggregate health data from multiple users, creating detailed profiles that could be monetized or used for social engineering attacks. The compromised cache data may include sensitive medical information, fitness tracking data, sleep patterns, and other personal metrics that users expect to remain private. This vulnerability also undermines user trust in the application's security and could lead to broader implications for Samsung's reputation and compliance with privacy regulations such as GDPR or HIPAA. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it affects a widely used health tracking application that many users rely on for personal health management.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-25425 require immediate application updates and comprehensive security hardening measures. Users should immediately update their Samsung Health applications to version 6.17 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the improper check vulnerability. Organizations and security teams should implement security monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts and ensure proper application updates are deployed across managed devices. The fix typically involves implementing proper access control checks within exported components, including verification of calling application signatures, permission validation, and implementation of secure component exposure practices. Security hardening should include removing unnecessary exported components, implementing proper intent filtering, and adding authentication mechanisms for sensitive operations. The mitigation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 for local privilege escalation and T1566 for credential harvesting, as attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to escalate privileges or harvest user credentials. Additionally, implementing proper application sandboxing and Android security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project recommendations would prevent similar vulnerabilities from occurring in future applications. Regular security assessments of exported components and comprehensive penetration testing should be conducted to identify and remediate similar access control weaknesses in mobile applications.