CVE-2023-38294 in Vision 3 Turbo Android
Summary
by MITRE • 04/22/2024
Certain software builds for the Itel Vision 3 Turbo Android device contain a vulnerable pre-installed app with a package name of com.transsion.autotest.factory (versionCode='7', versionName='1.8.0(220310_1027)') that allows local third-party apps to execute arbitrary shell commands in its context (system user) due to inadequate access control. No permissions or special privileges are necessary to exploit the vulnerability in the com.transsion.autotest.factory app. No user interaction is required beyond installing and running a third-party app. The vulnerability allows local apps to access sensitive functionality that is generally restricted to pre-installed apps, such as programmatically performing the following actions: granting arbitrary permissions (which can be used to obtain sensitive user data), installing arbitrary apps, video recording the screen, wiping the device (removing the user's apps and data), injecting arbitrary input events, calling emergency phone numbers, disabling apps, accessing notifications, and much more. The confirmed vulnerable software build fingerprints for the Itel Vision 3 Turbo device are as follows: Itel/F6321/itel-S661LP:11/RP1A.201005.001/GL-V92-20230105:user/release-keys, Itel/F6321/itel-S661LP:11/RP1A.201005.001/GL-V86-20221118:user/release-keys, Itel/F6321/itel-S661LP:11/RP1A.201005.001/GL-V78-20221101:user/release-keys, Itel/F6321/itel-S661LP:11/RP1A.201005.001/GL-V64-20220803:user/release-keys, Itel/F6321/itel-S661LP:11/RP1A.201005.001/GL-V61-20220721:user/release-keys, Itel/F6321/itel-S661LP:11/RP1A.201005.001/GL-V58-20220712:user/release-keys, and Itel/F6321/itel-S661LP:11/RP1A.201005.001/GL-V051-20220613:user/release-keys. This malicious app sends a broadcast Intent to the receiver component named com.transsion.autotest.factory/.broadcast.CommandReceiver with the path to a shell script that it creates in its scoped storage directory. Then the com.transsion.autotest.factory app will execute the shell script with "system" privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/04/2024
This vulnerability represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw in the Itel Vision 3 Turbo Android device that stems from inadequate access control within a pre-installed factory testing application. The affected component com.transsion.autotest.factory operates with system-level privileges while lacking proper authentication mechanisms, allowing any third-party application to execute arbitrary shell commands through a broadcast intent mechanism. The vulnerability manifests as a direct consequence of the application's failure to validate incoming intents, creating an attack surface where unprivileged apps can gain system-level access simply by sending a specially crafted broadcast to the CommandReceiver component. This design flaw directly violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper access control enforcement, as the application operates with elevated privileges without requiring any form of authentication or permission verification. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-284 Access Control flaw, specifically demonstrating improper access control in the Android application framework where system-level components are exposed to unauthorized local execution paths.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability enables attackers to perform a comprehensive range of malicious activities that would normally be restricted to system-level applications. Through the execution of shell commands with system privileges, the malicious app can grant arbitrary permissions to other applications, effectively bypassing Android's permission model and gaining access to sensitive user data including contacts, messages, and location information. The vulnerability also allows for installation of arbitrary applications, screen recording capabilities, device wiping functionality that removes all user data and applications, input event injection that can simulate user interactions, emergency call initiation, and notification access. These capabilities represent a complete compromise of the device's security model and provide attackers with extensive control over the device's functionality. The exploitation requires no user interaction beyond installation and execution of a third-party application, making it particularly dangerous as it can be automated and deployed without user awareness.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass a complete breakdown of Android's security architecture for the affected device models. The vulnerability affects multiple software build fingerprints indicating it is present across several versions of the device's firmware, suggesting a widespread issue that affects a significant number of users. The fact that the vulnerability exists in a factory testing application that should never be accessible to third-party applications demonstrates poor security practices in the device's development lifecycle. This flaw creates a persistent backdoor that remains active as long as the vulnerable application is present on the device, providing attackers with continuous access to system-level functionality. The vulnerability's presence in pre-installed applications rather than user-installed apps makes it particularly concerning as users typically trust system applications and do not consider them as potential attack vectors. The lack of required permissions or special privileges for exploitation means that even users with basic security awareness cannot protect against this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate threat and prevent similar issues in future device deployments. The most effective immediate solution involves removing or disabling the vulnerable com.transsion.autotest.factory application through system updates or manual intervention by device manufacturers. Device users should ensure their devices receive security patches from the manufacturer, though the vulnerability's nature suggests that complete removal of the application may be necessary. Network administrators and security teams should monitor for exploitation attempts and consider implementing device lockdown policies that prevent installation of third-party applications with elevated privileges. From a defensive perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper application sandboxing and access control mechanisms in mobile environments. Security professionals should implement monitoring for unauthorized broadcast intent usage and unusual shell command execution patterns. The vulnerability highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of pre-installed applications and adherence to mobile security best practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Mobile Security Project. Organizations should also consider implementing mobile device management solutions that can detect and prevent exploitation of such vulnerabilities through behavioral analysis and access control enforcement. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1068 Local Privilege Escalation and T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter, indicating that exploitation techniques would involve leveraging system-level access to execute commands and maintain persistence.