CVE-2023-42546 in Account
Summary
by MITRE • 11/07/2023
Use of implicit intent for sensitive communication vulnerability in startAgreeToDisclaimerActivity in Samsung Account prior to version 14.5.00.7 allows attackers to access arbitrary file with Samsung Account privilege.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-42546 represents a critical security flaw in Samsung Account applications prior to version 14.5.00.7, where the use of implicit intents for sensitive communication creates an exploitable pathway for unauthorized file access. This vulnerability resides within the startAgreeToDisclaimerActivity component of the Samsung Account framework, which is designed to handle user consent and disclaimer agreements. The flaw stems from improper intent handling mechanisms that fail to validate the source and authenticity of incoming intent requests, allowing malicious applications to craft and send implicit intents that bypass normal security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the Android intent system's implicit intent resolution mechanism, where applications can receive intents without explicitly declaring the sending component. This design flaw creates a privilege escalation vector where an attacker-controlled application can trigger the vulnerable activity to access files that should normally be restricted to Samsung Account's privileged context. The vulnerability specifically targets the implicit intent resolution process that occurs when the startAgreeToDisclaimerActivity component is invoked, enabling attackers to manipulate the activity's behavior through crafted intent parameters. According to CWE-707, this represents a weakness in the design of intent handling mechanisms, while the ATT&CK framework categorizes this under privilege escalation techniques through application manipulation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file access, as it enables attackers to potentially extract sensitive user data, manipulate account configurations, and gain unauthorized access to personal information stored within Samsung Account's protected contexts. The privilege escalation aspect means that malicious applications can perform actions that would normally require Samsung Account's elevated permissions, potentially leading to complete account compromise. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to access confidential files, read user credentials, and potentially execute further malicious activities within the Samsung Account ecosystem. The vulnerability affects all Samsung Account installations prior to version 14.5.00.7, representing a significant security gap that could be exploited across various Samsung devices running affected software versions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-42546 require immediate application updates to version 14.5.00.7 or later, which implements proper intent validation and explicit intent resolution mechanisms. Security researchers recommend that organizations deploy application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized applications from interacting with sensitive Samsung Account components. The fix involves implementing strict intent verification processes that validate the calling application's identity and permissions before executing sensitive operations. Additionally, system administrators should conduct comprehensive security audits to identify and remove any malicious applications that might have already exploited this vulnerability. Network monitoring solutions should be enhanced to detect unusual intent traffic patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also implement regular security patch management processes to ensure timely deployment of security updates and prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in the future.