CVE-2023-4565 in EMUI
Summary
by MITRE • 09/27/2023
Broadcast permission control vulnerability in the framework module. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may cause the hotspot feature to be unavailable.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/25/2024
This vulnerability represents a broadcast permission control flaw within a framework module that fundamentally undermines the security boundaries of the affected system. The issue stems from insufficient validation of broadcast receiver permissions, creating a potential attack vector where unauthorized components can intercept or manipulate broadcast messages intended for specific system modules. Such a weakness directly impacts the hotspot feature functionality by disrupting the proper authorization mechanisms that should govern access to wireless networking capabilities. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which specifically addresses improper access control in software systems, particularly focusing on inadequate permission checking for broadcast receivers. From an operational perspective, this flaw could enable malicious actors to gain unauthorized access to hotspot functionality, potentially leading to network disruption, data interception, or unauthorized device configuration changes that compromise the overall security posture.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability typically involves leveraging the framework's broadcast mechanism to send unauthorized broadcast intents that bypass normal permission checks. Attackers can craft malicious applications that register broadcast receivers with insufficient permission validation, allowing them to intercept hotspot-related broadcasts or inject malicious payloads into the system's wireless communication pathways. This type of attack maps directly to ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for broadcast message manipulation and T1068 for local privilege escalation through system component manipulation. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as the hotspot feature may become completely inaccessible to legitimate users while simultaneously exposing the device to potential man-in-the-middle attacks or unauthorized network access. The vulnerability demonstrates a critical failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement within the framework's permission model, where broadcast receivers should only accept messages from authorized sources based on defined permission policies.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar permission control failures. Organizations should implement strict broadcast receiver permission validation mechanisms that enforce granular access controls for all wireless communication components. The framework should be updated to enforce mandatory permission checking for all broadcast receivers, particularly those related to hotspot functionality, ensuring that only authorized applications can interact with these critical system components. Security patches should include comprehensive permission auditing to identify and remediate any other broadcast receivers that may exhibit similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing proper logging and monitoring of broadcast message flows can help detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. The remediation approach should follow industry best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-53 for access control and system security configuration, ensuring that all broadcast mechanisms adhere to strict permission enforcement policies. Regular security assessments should verify that no other framework modules suffer from similar permission control weaknesses, preventing cascading vulnerabilities that could compromise the entire wireless networking stack.