CVE-2022-33701 in Smart Phone
Summary
by MITRE • 07/12/2022
Improper access control vulnerability in KnoxCustomManagerService prior to SMR Jul-2022 Release 1 allows attacker to call PowerManaer.goToSleep method which is protected by system permission by sending braodcast intent.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/22/2022
The vulnerability CVE-2022-33701 represents a critical access control flaw in Samsung Knox Custom Manager Service affecting devices prior to the July 2022 Security Maintenance Release. This issue resides within the Knox security framework that provides enterprise-level security for Samsung devices, particularly impacting organizations relying on Samsung Knox for mobile device management and security enforcement. The vulnerability stems from improper validation of broadcast intents that can be sent to the PowerManager.goToSleep method, which is normally protected by system-level permissions that should restrict access to authorized components only.
The technical flaw manifests through a broadcast intent mechanism that bypasses normal permission checks. Attackers can exploit this by sending specially crafted broadcast intents that invoke the PowerManager.goToSleep method without proper authentication or authorization. This represents a classic improper access control vulnerability classified under CWE-285 which deals with insufficient authorization mechanisms. The vulnerability essentially allows any application with the ability to send broadcast intents to trigger device sleep functionality that should only be accessible to system-level components or applications with explicit system permissions. This flaw undermines the fundamental security model of the Android operating system where system-level APIs require proper permission validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple device sleep functionality to encompass broader security implications for enterprise environments. Organizations utilizing Samsung Knox for device management face potential risks including unauthorized device control, disruption of security policies, and possible data exposure. An attacker could potentially use this vulnerability to force devices into sleep mode at inopportune times, disrupting critical business operations or security monitoring processes. The vulnerability also creates opportunities for further exploitation as it demonstrates a weakness in the permission validation system that could potentially be extended to other protected system functions. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers the use of local system privileges for privilege escalation and unauthorized access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate action from device administrators and security teams. The primary recommendation involves applying the July 2022 Security Maintenance Release from Samsung which includes patches addressing this specific access control flaw. Organizations should also implement network-level controls to restrict broadcast intent communication and monitor for suspicious broadcast activity. Device management platforms should enforce stricter application permission policies and regularly audit installed applications for unauthorized access to system services. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing behavioral monitoring to detect unusual patterns of broadcast intent usage that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of timely security updates and proper access control implementation in enterprise mobile security frameworks.