CVE-2024-20810 in Smart Phone
Summary
by MITRE • 02/06/2024
Implicit intent hijacking vulnerability in Smart Suggestions prior to SMR Feb-2024 Release 1 allows attackers to get sensitive information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/29/2024
The vulnerability CVE-2024-20810 represents a critical implicit intent hijacking flaw within the Smart Suggestions feature of Android systems prior to the February 2024 Security Model Release. This vulnerability resides in the way the system handles implicit intent resolution, where applications can inadvertently intercept or manipulate user interactions with smart suggestions. The flaw enables attackers to exploit the implicit intent mechanism to gain unauthorized access to sensitive information that would normally be protected by proper intent filtering and security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of intent parameters within the Smart Suggestions framework. When users interact with smart suggestions, the system relies on implicit intents to route these interactions to appropriate applications. However, the vulnerability allows malicious actors to manipulate the intent resolution process by crafting specific intent parameters that bypass normal security checks. This creates an attack surface where sensitive data can be accessed through unintended application pathways. The flaw specifically affects the implicit intent resolution mechanism, which is categorized under CWE-229 as "Improper Handling of Intent Parameters" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for Command and Scripting Interpreter.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can enable more sophisticated attacks including privilege escalation and data exfiltration. Attackers can leverage this flaw to intercept user inputs, manipulate application behavior, and potentially gain access to personal data, credentials, or other sensitive information that flows through the smart suggestions interface. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the system level where multiple applications interact with the same intent resolution framework, creating a wide attack surface. Security researchers have noted that this vulnerability can be exploited without requiring user interaction beyond normal use of the smart suggestions feature.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-20810 require immediate deployment of the February 2024 Security Model Release which includes enhanced intent validation mechanisms and stricter implicit intent handling. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring for unauthorized intent resolution patterns and establish robust application sandboxing to prevent cross-application data leakage. Additionally, security teams should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments of all applications that rely on implicit intent resolution and ensure proper intent filtering is implemented. The fix addresses the underlying CWE-229 vulnerability through enhanced input validation and improved intent parameter sanitization, while also aligning with ATT&CK mitigations for preventing command and scripting interpreter abuse. System administrators should also consider implementing network-based detection measures to identify potential exploitation attempts and establish incident response procedures specifically targeting implicit intent hijacking attacks.