CVE-2022-20196 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 06/15/2022
In gallery3d and photos, there is a possible permission bypass due to a confused deputy. This could lead to local information disclosure with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-12LAndroid ID: A-201535148
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/15/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-20196 affects the gallery3d and photos applications within Android 12L systems, representing a critical permission bypass flaw that stems from a confused deputy problem. This issue manifests in the form of a confused deputy vulnerability where an application incorrectly interprets the identity of another application, leading to unauthorized access to protected resources. The vulnerability resides in how the system handles inter-process communication and permission verification, specifically within the media gallery applications that process and display user photographs.
The technical implementation of this flaw allows for local information disclosure without requiring any additional execution privileges or elevated permissions. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability through user interaction, meaning that a malicious actor would need to convince a victim to perform a specific action such as opening a malicious image file or interacting with a compromised gallery application. The confused deputy aspect occurs when the system's permission checking mechanism fails to properly validate the identity of the requesting application, allowing unauthorized access to gallery data that should be restricted to legitimate users or applications with proper authorization.
This vulnerability has significant operational impact within Android environments, particularly in scenarios where users store sensitive personal information within their photo galleries. The local information disclosure capability means that attackers can potentially access private photographs, metadata, and other personal data stored within the gallery applications. The exploitation requires user interaction but does not demand additional privileges, making it particularly concerning for mobile environments where users frequently interact with various applications and media files. The vulnerability affects Android 12L specifically, indicating that the implementation of permission checking mechanisms within this version's media processing framework contains the confused deputy flaw.
The security implications extend beyond simple data access, as this vulnerability can be leveraged as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks within the mobile environment. According to CWE classification, this represents a confused deputy vulnerability where the system fails to properly authenticate the identity of the requesting process, making it susceptible to manipulation by malicious applications. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this under privilege escalation and credential access techniques, as it allows unauthorized access to protected resources through improper permission handling. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including system updates, application sandboxing, and monitoring for unauthorized gallery access patterns, while users should avoid interacting with untrusted media files and ensure their devices remain updated with the latest security patches to prevent exploitation of this confused deputy vulnerability.