CVE-2023-30677 in Pass
Summary
by MITRE • 07/06/2023
Improper access control vulnerability in Samsung Pass prior to version 4.2.03.1 allows physical attackers to access data of Samsung Pass on a certain state of an unlocked device.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2023
The vulnerability CVE-2023-30677 represents a critical access control flaw within Samsung Pass, a mobile authentication application designed to manage digital identities and secure access to various services. This issue affects Samsung Pass versions prior to 4.2.03.1 and specifically manifests when a device is in an unlocked state, creating a window of opportunity for physical attackers to exploit the system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate authorization mechanisms that fail to properly verify user intent and device security posture before granting access to sensitive authentication data.
The technical implementation of this flaw involves improper validation of the device's security context during the authentication flow. When a Samsung Pass application is running on an unlocked device, the system fails to adequately assess whether the user has legitimate access rights or if the device environment has been compromised. This weakness allows attackers with physical access to potentially bypass normal authentication barriers and extract stored credentials, biometric data, or other sensitive information that the application is designed to protect. The vulnerability operates at the application-level access control mechanism, where the security boundary between legitimate use and unauthorized access is improperly enforced.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for users who store sensitive information within Samsung Pass, including but not limited to banking credentials, corporate access tokens, and personal identification data. The attack vector requires only physical access to the device, making it particularly dangerous in environments where devices may be left unattended or stolen. Security researchers have identified this as a direct violation of the principle of least privilege, where applications should not grant access to sensitive data beyond what is strictly necessary for their operation. The vulnerability essentially allows an attacker to escalate privileges without requiring additional authentication factors, potentially leading to complete account compromise and unauthorized access to connected services.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond immediate data theft to include potential identity theft, financial fraud, and corporate security breaches. Attackers could leverage the stolen credentials to access multiple accounts that rely on the same authentication tokens, creating a cascading effect of compromise. This flaw particularly affects organizations that depend on Samsung Pass for secure access management, as it undermines the fundamental security assumptions of mobile authentication systems. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1550.001 for use of stolen credentials, demonstrating how this weakness can serve as a foundation for broader attack chains.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include immediate deployment of Samsung Pass version 4.2.03.1 or later, which addresses the access control implementation through enhanced authorization checks and proper device state validation. Organizations should implement additional security measures such as device encryption enforcement, regular security audits, and user education about the importance of device security. Security teams should also consider implementing multi-factor authentication systems that do not rely solely on device-based authentication, ensuring that even if one authentication layer is compromised, additional barriers remain effective. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing can help identify similar access control weaknesses in other mobile applications and systems, creating a more robust overall security posture.