CVE-2022-22292 in Samsung
Summary
by MITRE • 02/11/2022
Unprotected dynamic receiver in Telecom prior to SMR Feb-2022 Release 1 allows untrusted applications to launch arbitrary activity.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2022-22292 represents a critical security flaw in the Android Telecom framework affecting devices prior to the February 2022 Security Model Release. This issue stems from improper protection of dynamic receivers within the telecommunications subsystem, creating a pathway for malicious applications to exploit the system's intent handling mechanisms. The flaw specifically affects how the system processes and validates incoming intents that are meant to trigger telephony-related activities, particularly those involving call management and communication services.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the insufficient validation of intent origins and the lack of proper access controls for dynamic broadcast receivers within the Telecom component. When an application registers a dynamic receiver to handle specific telephony intents, the system fails to adequately verify whether the originating application possesses the necessary permissions or trust level to execute potentially sensitive operations. This weakness allows untrusted applications to craft and send malicious intents that appear to come from legitimate telephony services, thereby bypassing normal security boundaries that should prevent unauthorized activity execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it enables attackers to manipulate core telephony functions through indirect means. An attacker with a malicious application installed on a vulnerable device can potentially intercept, modify, or trigger telephony activities without proper authorization, including initiating calls, accessing call logs, or manipulating communication sessions. This creates a significant risk for user privacy and device security, as the attacker gains the ability to perform actions that should be restricted to trusted system components or authorized applications with explicit permissions.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically addressing inadequate access control mechanisms for dynamic components within the Android framework. The flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter where adversaries can leverage system components to execute unauthorized commands. The vulnerability particularly affects the Android Security Model's integrity by allowing unauthorized code execution through legitimate system interfaces, undermining the principle of least privilege that should govern all system interactions.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of security patches provided by device manufacturers and Google through the February 2022 Security Updates. Users should ensure their devices are updated to the latest security releases, particularly those containing fixes for the Telecom framework's dynamic receiver protection mechanisms. Additionally, system administrators should implement application whitelisting policies and monitor for suspicious intent handling behaviors, while developers should review their applications' intent usage patterns to ensure proper validation of intent origins and appropriate permission requirements. The fix typically involves strengthening the validation checks for dynamic receivers and implementing stricter access controls for telephony-related intent handling components, ensuring that only trusted applications can register or interact with sensitive system components.