CVE-2023-42647 in SC7731E
Summary
by MITRE • 11/01/2023
In Ifaa service, there is a possible way to write permission usage records of an app due to a missing permission check. This could lead to local information disclosure with no additional execution privileges needed
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-42647 resides within the Ifaa service component of a mobile operating system, specifically affecting permission handling mechanisms that govern how application usage records are maintained and stored. This flaw represents a critical security oversight where the system fails to properly validate whether an application has adequate authorization to write permission usage records, creating an unauthorized data disclosure pathway. The vulnerability manifests through a missing permission check that should normally validate the requesting application's privileges before allowing modification of permission usage logs, thereby enabling any application to potentially write to these sensitive records without proper authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access control enforcement within the Ifaa service framework, which operates as a core system component responsible for managing application permissions and usage tracking. When an application attempts to write permission usage records, the system should verify that the calling process possesses the necessary privileges through proper permission checks. However, in this case, the validation mechanism is either absent or improperly implemented, allowing unauthorized applications to bypass normal security boundaries and write to permission usage record files. This missing validation creates a privilege escalation path where applications can manipulate system-level permission logs that typically should only be accessible to system-level components or applications with explicit administrative permissions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables local information disclosure without requiring any additional execution privileges or elevated permissions, making it particularly concerning for mobile security environments. An attacker could potentially exploit this weakness to gain insights into other applications' permission usage patterns, which could reveal sensitive information about user behavior, application capabilities, and system configuration details. The impact extends beyond simple data disclosure as it may enable further attacks by providing attackers with information about which permissions are being used by various applications, potentially aiding in crafting more sophisticated attacks against other system components. The vulnerability's local nature means that exploitation does not require network connectivity or external attack vectors, making it particularly dangerous in environments where applications with elevated privileges might be compromised.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control issues, and represents a classic case of insufficient authorization checks that could be exploited through privilege escalation techniques. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique under T1068, where adversaries leverage system-level weaknesses to gain elevated privileges. The Ifaa service's permission handling mechanism should have implemented proper access control validation as part of the system's security architecture, but the missing permission check creates a fundamental flaw in the defense-in-depth model. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where multiple applications with different permission levels are running concurrently and where the integrity of permission usage records is critical for maintaining system security.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-42647 should focus on implementing proper permission validation within the Ifaa service framework, ensuring that all write operations to permission usage records require explicit authorization checks. System administrators should review and validate the current permission model to confirm that only authorized system components can write to these sensitive records. Regular security audits should be conducted to verify that proper access control mechanisms are in place and functioning correctly. Additionally, application developers should implement proper input validation and access control checks within their applications to prevent unauthorized access to system resources. The most effective long-term solution involves patching the underlying service to properly enforce permission checks and implementing comprehensive logging to detect unauthorized access attempts to permission usage records.