CVE-2023-42700 in SC7731E
Summary
by MITRE • 12/04/2023
In firewall 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 • 12/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-42700 represents a critical permission oversight within firewall service implementations that enables unauthorized information disclosure through improper access control mechanisms. This flaw exists in the permission validation logic where the system fails to properly verify whether an application has legitimate authorization to write permission usage records, creating a pathway for malicious actors to access sensitive data without requiring additional privileges or execution rights. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and access control enforcement within the firewall service architecture, specifically targeting the permission management subsystem that tracks application access patterns and usage metrics.
The technical implementation flaw manifests as a missing permission check that should validate the identity and authorization level of applications attempting to write to permission usage records. This represents a classic example of insufficient authorization control where the system assumes all applications can perform write operations without proper verification. The vulnerability operates at the application layer of the operating system, affecting the core firewall service that manages network access controls and application permissions. According to CWE classification, this corresponds to CWE-284: Improper Access Control, which specifically addresses inadequate access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized users or processes to access resources. The flaw demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege where applications should only be granted minimal necessary permissions to perform their functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it enables persistent monitoring capabilities that could be exploited to gather comprehensive application behavior patterns and user activity data. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to observe and potentially manipulate permission usage records, which may contain sensitive information about application access patterns, user activities, and system configurations. The lack of additional execution privileges required for exploitation makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by any local user or application with basic access to the system. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1070.004: Indicator Removal on Host, where attackers can gather information about system activities and access patterns without triggering additional detection mechanisms that would normally require elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust permission validation mechanisms that enforce strict access control checks before allowing any write operations to permission usage records. System administrators should ensure that all applications attempting to write to permission logs undergo proper authentication and authorization verification, with access controls enforced at the service level rather than relying on implicit trust. The implementation should include comprehensive logging of all permission-related activities and regular security audits to detect unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, privilege separation mechanisms should be enforced to ensure that applications cannot directly write to system-level permission records without proper authorization. Organizations should also consider implementing mandatory access controls and regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar permission-related flaws across their firewall service implementations, particularly focusing on the areas where application behavior tracking and permission management intersect.