CVE-2022-48494 in EMUI
Summary
by MITRE • 06/19/2023
Vulnerability of lax app identity verification in the pre-authorization function.Successful exploitation of this vulnerability will cause malicious apps to become pre-authorized.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2023
This vulnerability resides within the pre-authorization mechanism of a mobile application platform or operating system where insufficient app identity verification processes allow unauthorized applications to bypass legitimate authorization procedures. The flaw represents a critical weakness in the software supply chain security model, enabling malicious actors to exploit gaps in the authentication framework that should validate application integrity and source legitimacy before granting pre-authorized status. The vulnerability specifically targets the identity verification phase that occurs prior to full application authorization, creating a window where unauthorized applications can masquerade as legitimate entities within the system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate cryptographic verification procedures or flawed identity assertion mechanisms that fail to properly validate application signatures, certificates, or digital fingerprints. This weakness allows attackers to craft or manipulate application metadata in ways that circumvent the standard verification checks designed to ensure only trusted applications receive pre-authorization status. The flaw operates at the intersection of authentication and authorization controls, where the system's trust model is compromised through insufficient validation of application identity attributes. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-287 which addresses improper authentication issues and represents a significant deviation from secure coding practices that should enforce strict identity verification protocols.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential system compromise and data exposure risks. When malicious applications gain pre-authorized status, they can leverage elevated privileges and access controls that should remain restricted to legitimate applications. This creates opportunities for privilege escalation, data exfiltration, and lateral movement within the affected ecosystem. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to establish persistent access points, deploy additional malicious payloads, or manipulate application behavior in ways that undermine the overall security posture. The pre-authorization status provides these malicious applications with a level of trust that enables them to bypass standard security controls and access sensitive system resources or user data.
Mitigation strategies should focus on strengthening the identity verification processes within the pre-authorization workflow, implementing robust cryptographic validation mechanisms, and establishing multi-factor authentication checks for application authorization. Organizations should enforce strict certificate validation procedures, implement proper code signing verification, and establish continuous monitoring of pre-authorized applications for anomalous behavior patterns. The remediation approach should include regular security assessments of authorization workflows, implementation of automated identity verification systems, and establishment of clear audit trails for all pre-authorization activities. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms, requiring defensive measures that address both the initial compromise vector and potential post-exploitation activities. Security teams should implement network monitoring solutions that can detect unusual pre-authorization patterns and establish incident response procedures specifically designed to address unauthorized application authorization events.