CVE-2023-21383 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 10/30/2023
In Settings, there is a possible way for the user to unintentionally send extra data due to an unclear prompt. This could lead to local information disclosure with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-21383 resides within the Settings application component where a design flaw in user prompt implementation creates an unintended data exposure risk. This issue manifests when users interact with specific settings dialogs that fail to clearly communicate the scope of data being collected or transmitted. The ambiguity in the user interface prompts allows for potential misinterpretation where users may inadvertently consent to or trigger the transmission of additional data beyond their intended scope. The vulnerability operates through a user interaction model requiring explicit engagement from the individual, meaning no automated exploitation is possible without human intervention. This characteristic places the risk squarely within the realm of social engineering and user behavior manipulation rather than purely technical exploitation.
The technical mechanism underlying this vulnerability can be classified as a user interface design flaw that falls under the broader category of unclear or misleading prompts and warnings. This pattern of vulnerability is commonly associated with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure through improper output handling, and CWE-693, which covers protection mechanism failures in user interfaces. The flaw represents a breakdown in the principle of least privilege and user consent, where the application fails to provide adequate clarity regarding data handling procedures. The lack of clear distinction between standard and additional data collection creates a situation where users may unknowingly authorize the transmission of sensitive information that they would not have otherwise consented to.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables local information disclosure without requiring any additional execution privileges or root access. The attacker need only convince a user to interact with a specifically crafted prompt or dialog within the Settings application. The information disclosure occurs locally on the device rather than through network transmission, making it particularly concerning for environments where device-level security is paramount. The vulnerability affects any system where the Settings application is present and accessible, potentially impacting a wide range of devices from mobile platforms to desktop operating systems. The user interaction requirement means that successful exploitation depends on social engineering factors rather than technical sophistication, making it particularly dangerous in environments where user education may be limited.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-21383 should focus on improving the clarity and transparency of user prompts within the Settings application. Security professionals should implement comprehensive user interface reviews to ensure that all data collection prompts clearly distinguish between standard and additional data transmission. This includes providing explicit warnings about what information will be collected, how it will be used, and what the user is consenting to. The implementation should follow established security design principles such as those outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO/IEC 27001 standards for information security management. Organizations should conduct regular security testing of user interfaces to identify ambiguous prompts and ensure that all user interactions with sensitive data collection processes are properly documented and understood. Additionally, implementing automated prompt validation systems that verify the clarity and completeness of user interface elements can help prevent similar issues from arising in future releases. The remediation approach must address both the immediate user interaction requirements and the underlying design flaws that enable the vulnerability to exist in the first place.