CVE-2023-42735 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 System execution privileges needed
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-42735 resides within telephony service implementations where a critical missing permission check has been discovered. This flaw exists in the core telephony subsystem that manages voice calls, text messaging, and other communication services on mobile devices and telephony systems. The vulnerability stems from inadequate authorization controls that fail to properly validate whether requesting processes possess the necessary privileges to access sensitive telephony information. Such missing permission checks represent a fundamental breakdown in the security model of the telephony service, allowing unauthorized access to communication data that should be restricted to system-level processes only. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the system execution privilege level, meaning that an attacker with local access could potentially exploit this weakness to obtain sensitive telephony data without proper authentication or authorization.
The technical implementation flaw manifests as a failure in the permission validation mechanism that should enforce access controls for telephony-related operations. When applications or processes attempt to access telephony information such as call logs, contact details, or communication metadata, the system fails to properly verify whether these entities have the appropriate system-level permissions required for such operations. This missing validation occurs within the telephony service daemon or kernel module responsible for managing communication services, creating a pathway for privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes improper access control issues, and represents a classic example of insufficient authorization checks in system-level services. Attackers can leverage this weakness to bypass normal security boundaries and access sensitive telephony data that would normally be protected by the system's permission model.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the capability to gain detailed insights into communication patterns and personal data. Local information disclosure through this vulnerability could expose sensitive user data including call history, contact information, message content, and potentially even location data derived from communication patterns. The system execution privileges required to exploit this vulnerability indicate that attackers must already have local access to the device, but once achieved, the impact is significant as it allows for comprehensive data harvesting. This type of vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1059, which covers command and script interpreter usage, and T1005, which addresses data from local system. The vulnerability creates a persistent threat vector that could be exploited by malicious applications or compromised system services to continuously monitor and extract telephony information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-42735 should focus on implementing comprehensive permission validation mechanisms within the telephony service framework. System administrators and developers should ensure that all telephony service operations enforce strict access controls and validate permissions before granting access to sensitive communication data. The fix should involve implementing proper authorization checks that verify system-level privileges before allowing access to telephony information, effectively closing the gap in the permission model. Additionally, regular security audits of telephony service implementations should be conducted to identify similar missing permission checks across other system components. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized access attempts to telephony services and alert security teams to potential exploitation attempts. The remediation process must include thorough testing of permission validation mechanisms to ensure that legitimate system processes can access required telephony data while preventing unauthorized access. This vulnerability highlights the critical importance of maintaining robust access controls in system-level services and demonstrates how seemingly minor permission gaps can create significant security risks in telephony environments.