CVE-2021-37086 in Huawei
Summary
by MITRE • 12/07/2021
There is a Improper Preservation of Permissions vulnerability in Huawei Smartphone.Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may lead to attackers which can isolate and read synchronization files of other applications across the UID sandbox.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/10/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-37086 represents a critical improper preservation of permissions flaw within Huawei smartphone operating systems that fundamentally undermines the security model designed to protect user data and application isolation. This weakness specifically affects the Android-based Huawei devices where the system fails to properly maintain the integrity of permission boundaries between different applications running under distinct user identifiers or UIDs. The vulnerability stems from insufficient enforcement of access controls that should normally prevent applications from accessing files and resources belonging to other applications, creating a dangerous breach in the sandboxing mechanisms that are essential for mobile security.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper privilege management and inadequate access control mechanisms. Attackers can exploit this weakness to bypass the standard security boundaries that separate applications within the Android framework, allowing them to traverse the UID sandbox and gain unauthorized access to synchronization files and other sensitive data belonging to different applications. This cross-application data access capability represents a severe violation of the principle of least privilege that should govern all mobile operating system implementations. The flaw essentially permits malicious actors to perform unauthorized data enumeration and extraction activities that should be strictly prohibited by the underlying security architecture.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data access violations, as it creates opportunities for sophisticated attack vectors that can compromise user privacy and application integrity. Successful exploitation enables attackers to read synchronization files that may contain sensitive user information, authentication tokens, personal communications, or other confidential data that applications typically protect from unauthorized access. This vulnerability particularly affects the confidentiality and integrity aspects of the CIA triad, as it allows for unauthorized data reading and potential modification of application data. The implications are especially severe given that synchronization files often contain the most sensitive user information that applications need to maintain proper functionality and user trust.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-37086 should focus on immediate firmware updates from Huawei to address the underlying permission enforcement flaws, while security administrators should implement additional monitoring of suspicious file access patterns and application behavior. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining robust access control mechanisms and proper sandbox enforcement as outlined in the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and credential access techniques. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting controls and enhanced mobile device management policies to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar permission boundary violations that could exist in other mobile platforms or custom implementations.