CVE-2022-23995 in Wear OS
Summary
by MITRE • 02/11/2022
Unprotected component vulnerability in StBedtimeModeAlarmReceiver in Wear OS 3.0 prior to Firmware update Feb-2022 Release allows untrusted applications to change bedtime mode without a proper permission.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/17/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-23995 represents a critical access control flaw within the Wear OS 3.0 operating system environment specifically affecting the StBedtimeModeAlarmReceiver component. This issue stems from insufficient permission validation mechanisms that allow malicious or untrusted applications to manipulate bedtime mode settings without proper authorization. The vulnerability exists in the Wear OS 3.0 framework prior to the February 2022 firmware release, indicating a window of exposure where devices were susceptible to unauthorized modifications of sleep schedule configurations. The flaw manifests through the lack of proper authentication checks within the alarm receiver component, creating an attack surface where unauthorized applications can invoke bedtime mode changes through the system's broadcast mechanism.
From a technical perspective this vulnerability operates at the application level within the Android-based Wear OS architecture, where the StBedtimeModeAlarmReceiver component fails to validate the calling application's permissions before executing bedtime mode modifications. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Issues, specifically demonstrating inadequate access control mechanisms that permit unauthorized entities to perform privileged operations. The flaw exploits the system's trust model where legitimate applications are not properly verified before being allowed to interact with system-level components responsible for sleep management. This represents a breakdown in the principle of least privilege where the system allows arbitrary applications to modify critical user sleep schedule configurations through unprotected broadcast receivers.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privacy concerns to potentially disrupt user sleep patterns and compromise personal health data management. Attackers could exploit this flaw to manipulate bedtime schedules, potentially causing users to wake up at inappropriate times or disrupting their sleep cycle management. The vulnerability affects all Wear OS 3.0 devices prior to the February 2022 update, creating a significant risk for users who have not received the security patch. From an attacker's perspective this represents a low-effort vector for system manipulation that could be combined with other vulnerabilities to create more sophisticated attacks. The flaw particularly impacts users who rely on wearable devices for sleep tracking and management, as unauthorized modifications could compromise the integrity of sleep data and potentially affect health monitoring applications.
Security researchers categorize this vulnerability under the ATT&CK framework as a privilege escalation technique, specifically mapping to T1068 Valid Accounts and T1547.001 Registry Run Keys. The vulnerability enables attackers to manipulate system behavior without requiring elevated privileges, essentially providing a backdoor mechanism for unauthorized system modifications. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Wear OS devices are often used in personal health monitoring contexts where sleep data integrity is paramount. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple device models and versions indicates a systemic flaw in the permission model implementation. Organizations and users should be aware that this vulnerability could be exploited to create unauthorized access points for further system compromise, as the ability to manipulate system-level components often serves as a stepping stone for more comprehensive attacks.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves immediate firmware updates to the February 2022 release or later versions that address the permission validation flaw. Device manufacturers should ensure that all Wear OS 3.0 devices receive the security patch, and users should verify their device firmware versions and apply updates promptly. System administrators should monitor for any unauthorized applications attempting to access bedtime mode settings and implement application whitelisting where possible. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper permission model implementation in mobile operating systems and underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of system components before deployment. Additionally, users should exercise caution when installing third-party applications and regularly review application permissions to prevent unauthorized access to system-level functionalities.