CVE-2023-42733 in SC7731E
Summary
by MITRE • 12/04/2023
In telephony service, there is a possible 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-2023-42733 resides within telephony service implementations where a critical missing permission check has been discovered. This flaw represents a significant security weakness that allows unauthorized local access to sensitive information without requiring any additional execution privileges or elevated user rights. The vulnerability specifically affects telephony service components that handle call management, communication protocols, and related telephony functions within mobile operating systems and telephony applications. The absence of proper permission validation creates an exploitable condition where malicious actors or compromised applications can access telephony-related data that should otherwise be restricted to authorized processes only.
This technical flaw falls under the category of insufficient permission checks, which aligns with CWE-284, a well-documented weakness in software security that occurs when programs fail to properly verify that access control mechanisms are functioning correctly. The vulnerability enables local information disclosure, meaning that an attacker with local access to a device can extract sensitive telephony data including call logs, contact information, communication metadata, and potentially device identification details. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it requires no additional privileges beyond local device access, making it accessible to any application running with basic user permissions or even malicious applications that have gained local footholds on the device.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-42733 extends beyond simple data exposure, as telephony information often contains highly sensitive personal and business data that can be leveraged for identity theft, social engineering attacks, and targeted phishing campaigns. The vulnerability affects the fundamental security model of telephony services by bypassing expected access controls that should protect sensitive communication data. This weakness particularly impacts mobile operating systems where telephony services are tightly integrated with other system components, creating potential cascading effects that could compromise broader system security. The lack of additional execution privileges required for exploitation means that even applications with minimal system access can potentially access restricted telephony data, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple applications share the same device.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of ATT&CK framework category T1059, which covers command and control communications, as telephony data exposure could facilitate further exploitation or provide attackers with information needed for advanced persistent threats. The recommended mitigations include implementing comprehensive permission checks within telephony service components, ensuring that all access to telephony data requires proper authorization verification, and conducting thorough security audits of telephony service implementations. System administrators should also consider applying security patches promptly, implementing application sandboxing techniques, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to telephony-related system components. Additionally, organizations should review their telephony service configurations and ensure that proper access controls are in place to prevent unauthorized disclosure of sensitive communication data, particularly in enterprise environments where telephony systems may be integrated with business-critical applications and databases.