CVE-2023-42685 in SC7731E
Summary
by MITRE • 12/04/2023
In wifi service, there is a possible missing permission check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/30/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-42685 resides within the wifi service component of Android operating systems, representing a critical permission enforcement flaw that enables local privilege escalation. This issue stems from insufficient validation of access controls within the wireless networking service, allowing malicious applications or processes running with standard user privileges to potentially exploit the missing permission checks and elevate their privileges to system level. The vulnerability specifically affects the wifi service daemon which handles wireless network configuration and management operations, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to gain elevated system access. According to CWE-284, this represents an improper access control vulnerability where the system fails to properly verify that the requesting entity has the necessary authorization to perform privileged operations. The flaw exists in the service's permission checking mechanism, which should validate whether the calling process possesses the appropriate credentials or capabilities before executing sensitive wifi-related functions.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-42685 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides attackers with a pathway to gain full system control without requiring additional execution privileges or root access. An attacker could leverage this vulnerability to modify wireless network configurations, access sensitive network data, or potentially install malicious components that persist across system reboots. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes local privilege escalation through the exploitation of system-level services or daemons. The attack surface is particularly concerning because wifi services typically run with elevated privileges to manage network interfaces and configurations, creating a natural vector for privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability is especially dangerous in environments where users might inadvertently install malicious applications or where applications with legitimate network permissions could be compromised and repurposed for malicious activities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-42685 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Android versions through official security updates from device manufacturers and carriers. Organizations should implement strict application vetting processes to prevent installation of untrusted applications that might exploit this vulnerability. System administrators should consider implementing additional security controls such as SELinux policies or other mandatory access controls to limit the potential impact of privilege escalation. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of robust permission checking mechanisms in system services and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of core system components. Network administrators should monitor for unusual network configuration changes or unauthorized access attempts that might indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. Regular security audits of system services and their permission models should be conducted to identify similar issues in other components. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in legitimate wifi functionality while properly addressing the permission enforcement gap that enables local privilege escalation.