CVE-2022-39102 in SC9863A
Summary
by MITRE • 12/06/2022
In power management service, there is a missing permission check. This could lead to set up power management service with no additional execution privileges needed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/27/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-39102 resides within power management service components where a critical missing permission check has been discovered. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that undermines the fundamental principle of least privilege enforcement within system services. The power management service typically operates with elevated privileges to control system power states, device power consumption, and hardware management functions. However, the absence of proper authorization verification means that unauthorized entities can potentially manipulate these critical system functions without requiring additional execution privileges. This missing permission check creates an avenue for privilege escalation attacks where malicious actors can leverage the service to perform actions that should normally require elevated permissions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access control mechanisms within the power management service architecture. When the service processes requests or configuration changes, it fails to validate whether the requesting entity possesses the necessary authorization levels to perform the requested operations. This oversight allows any local process or user to interact with the power management service and potentially modify system power states, device configurations, or power policies. The flaw aligns with CWE-284 which specifically addresses improper access control issues, where inadequate permission checks lead to unauthorized access to system resources. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability can be exploited through various attack vectors including local privilege escalation, malicious software installation, or even social engineering techniques that might convince legitimate users to execute compromised code.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-39102 extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential system instability, security policy violations, and data integrity compromise. Attackers could manipulate power management configurations to disable security features, force system reboots during critical operations, or disable hardware security modules. The vulnerability could also enable persistent backdoor access by configuring power management policies that maintain system access during normal operation cycles. This type of flaw can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where power management services control large fleets of devices, potentially allowing attackers to compromise multiple systems simultaneously. The attack surface is further expanded when considering that power management services often run with system-level privileges and may be accessible through various network interfaces or local IPC mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on implementing robust permission validation mechanisms throughout the power management service. Organizations should ensure that all service interactions undergo proper authentication and authorization checks before executing any privileged operations. This includes implementing role-based access controls, enforcing mandatory access controls, and conducting regular security audits of service configurations. The remediation process should involve patching the affected software components, reviewing existing power management policies, and implementing monitoring controls to detect unauthorized access attempts. Security teams should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege by ensuring that the power management service operates with minimal required privileges while maintaining necessary functionality. Additionally, regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar missing permission checks in other system services, as this represents a common pattern of security oversight that could affect multiple components within the system architecture. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of access control validation in privileged system services and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers privilege escalation through service permission misconfigurations.