CVE-2022-26091 in Knox Manage
Summary
by MITRE • 04/12/2022
Improper access control vulnerability in Knox Manage prior to SMR Apr-2022 Release 1 allows that physical attackers can bypass Knox Manage using a function key of hardware keyboard.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-26091 represents a critical access control flaw within Samsung Knox Manage software prior to the April 2022 Security Maintenance Release. This weakness specifically affects devices running Knox Manage versions that have not received the aforementioned security patch, creating a significant attack surface for physical adversaries who possess the target device. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of hardware keyboard inputs, particularly concerning function key presses that should normally be restricted or properly authenticated within the Knox security framework.
The technical implementation of this flaw allows an attacker with physical access to a device to exploit a bypass mechanism through specific hardware keyboard function keys. This access control failure operates at the system-level interface where legitimate security controls are circumvented by leveraging direct hardware input pathways that are not adequately protected or validated by the Knox security architecture. The vulnerability specifically targets the authentication and authorization mechanisms within Knox Manage, enabling unauthorized access to device management functions that should remain restricted to authorized administrators or users.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a severe risk for enterprise environments where Knox Manage is deployed for mobile device management and security enforcement. Physical attackers who gain access to a device can bypass Knox security controls without requiring additional credentials or authentication factors, effectively neutralizing the security protections that Knox Manage is designed to provide. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access to potentially enabling attackers to modify device configurations, extract sensitive data, or deploy malicious applications that would normally be restricted by Knox security policies.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control in software systems, and demonstrates how hardware-level input mechanisms can be exploited to bypass application-level security controls. From an attacker's perspective, this represents a low-effort, high-impact vector that requires only physical possession of the device and knowledge of specific keyboard functions to exploit. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in relation to ATT&CK technique T1547.001, which covers registry run keys and startup folder persistence, as the bypass could potentially enable similar persistence mechanisms within the device management framework. The security implications are particularly severe for organizations that rely heavily on Knox Manage for enterprise mobility management, as this vulnerability undermines the fundamental security model that protects corporate data and device integrity.
Mitigation strategies should include immediate deployment of the April 2022 Security Maintenance Release for Knox Manage, along with comprehensive device inventory assessments to identify vulnerable systems. Organizations should implement additional physical security measures such as device encryption, secure boot processes, and restricted access policies to limit the impact of potential exploitation. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses in other enterprise management systems, while incident response procedures should be updated to address potential exploitation of this hardware-level bypass mechanism.