CVE-2023-21117 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 05/16/2023
In registerReceiverWithFeature of ActivityManagerService.java, there is a possible way for isolated processes to register a broadcast receiver due to a permissions bypass. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-13Android ID: A-263358101
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21117 resides within the Android operating system's ActivityManagerService component, specifically in the registerReceiverWithFeature method. This flaw represents a critical permissions bypass that allows isolated processes to register broadcast receivers without proper authorization, creating a pathway for privilege escalation. The issue affects Android 13 and is tracked under Android ID A-263358101, demonstrating the severity and widespread impact of such a vulnerability within the mobile platform ecosystem.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient access control validation within the registerReceiverWithFeature method, which should enforce strict permission checks before allowing broadcast receiver registration. Isolated processes typically operate with restricted privileges and should not be permitted to register receivers that could potentially intercept or manipulate system-wide broadcasts. However, this vulnerability enables malicious isolated processes to circumvent these security controls, effectively bypassing the Android security model's fundamental principle of process isolation and privilege separation. The vulnerability operates at the system level, leveraging a weakness in the Android framework's permission enforcement mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables local privilege escalation without requiring any additional execution privileges or user interaction. An attacker with access to an isolated process can exploit this flaw to register broadcast receivers that may intercept sensitive system communications, potentially gaining access to system resources or manipulating application behavior. This represents a direct violation of Android's security architecture where isolated processes should remain sandboxed and unable to interfere with other system components. The lack of user interaction requirement makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited automatically without any human intervention, potentially enabling automated attacks or persistent threats.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-21117 should focus on implementing stricter permission validation within the ActivityManagerService component, ensuring that isolated processes cannot register broadcast receivers without proper authorization. System updates and patches should address the underlying permission bypass mechanism, potentially through enhanced access control checks or by modifying the registerReceiverWithFeature method to properly validate process privileges. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring and detection measures to identify suspicious broadcast receiver registrations that may indicate exploitation attempts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and may relate to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through system weaknesses. The remediation approach should involve comprehensive security testing of the Android framework components to ensure that similar permission bypass vulnerabilities are identified and addressed across the system architecture.