CVE-2022-28542 in Galaxy Store
Summary
by MITRE • 04/12/2022
Improper sanitization of incoming intent in Galaxy Store prior to version 4.5.40.5 allows local attackers to access privileged content providers as Galaxy Store permission.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/17/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-28542 represents a critical security flaw in Samsung's Galaxy Store application that existed prior to version 4.5.40.5. This issue stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization mechanisms within the application's intent handling system, creating a pathway for malicious actors to exploit the permission model and gain unauthorized access to protected system resources. The vulnerability specifically targets the Android intent system, which serves as a fundamental communication mechanism between applications and system components, making it a prime target for privilege escalation attacks.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper sanitization of incoming intents that the Galaxy Store application processes without adequate validation. When the application receives intents from other components or applications, it fails to properly validate or sanitize the intent parameters, allowing potentially malicious intent data to be processed without sufficient security checks. This flaw enables local attackers who have already gained some level of access to the device to manipulate the intent parameters and leverage the Galaxy Store's elevated permissions to access content providers that should normally be restricted. The vulnerability operates at the system level where the application's permission model is bypassed through crafted intent data that appears legitimate to the system but contains malicious payloads designed to access protected resources.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to user privacy and system integrity. Attackers can exploit this flaw to access sensitive data that should be protected by the application's permission model, including personal information, device configuration details, and potentially other applications' data. The impact extends beyond simple data access as it enables potential privilege escalation that could allow attackers to perform actions that would normally be restricted to system-level applications. The local nature of the attack means that the attacker must already have some form of access to the device, but the vulnerability allows them to elevate their privileges significantly within the application's security boundaries. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the Android security model's principle of least privilege and can serve as a stepping stone for more comprehensive attacks.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a classic case of insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data within a security-sensitive context. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) and T1547.001 (Registry Run Keys / Startup Folder) as attackers can leverage the elevated permissions to establish persistence or escalate their privileges further. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it exploits the legitimate Android intent system rather than requiring complex exploitation techniques, making it more accessible to attackers with moderate technical skills. Organizations and users should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where device security is paramount.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to Galaxy Store version 4.5.40.5 or later, which includes proper intent sanitization mechanisms and enhanced input validation. System administrators should ensure that all devices running Samsung Galaxy Store applications are updated promptly to address this vulnerability. Additionally, users should be educated about the importance of keeping their applications updated and should avoid installing applications from untrusted sources that might exploit similar vulnerabilities. The fix implemented by Samsung should include comprehensive input validation for all intent parameters and proper sanitization of incoming data to prevent malicious intent data from being processed. Organizations implementing security monitoring should also consider adding detection mechanisms for unusual intent processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of input validation in mobile application security and the need for continuous security assessment of system components that handle inter-application communication.