CVE-2024-20852 in SmartThings
Summary
by MITRE • 04/02/2024
Improper verification of intent by broadcast receiver vulnerability in SmartThings prior to version 1.8.13.22 allows local attackers to access testing configuration.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-20852 represents a critical security flaw in Samsung SmartThings smart home platform affecting versions prior to 1.8.13.22. This issue stems from improper verification of intent within broadcast receiver components, creating a significant attack surface that local adversaries can exploit to gain unauthorized access to testing configuration data. The flaw resides in the application's handling of inter-process communication mechanisms, specifically how it validates incoming broadcast intents from potentially untrusted sources within the same device's security context.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves broadcast receivers that fail to properly validate the originating source and intent parameters of incoming messages. When an application component receives a broadcast intent, it should verify that the intent originates from a legitimate source and contains appropriate parameters before processing sensitive operations. In SmartThings' case, the broadcast receiver implementation lacks proper validation checks that would normally ensure the intent's authenticity and intended scope. This allows malicious local applications or processes to craft and send spoofed broadcast intents that appear legitimate to the vulnerable SmartThings application, thereby bypassing normal access controls and security boundaries.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables local attackers to access sensitive testing configuration data that should remain protected within the application's secure boundaries. Testing configurations often contain sensitive information including device credentials, network settings, and internal application parameters that could be leveraged for further exploitation or to compromise the broader smart home ecosystem. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it operates entirely within the local device environment, requiring no network connectivity or external attack surface. This makes detection and prevention more challenging as the attack occurs at the application level within the device's own security context.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-693, which addresses protection mechanism failures, specifically concerning the inadequate verification of intent in inter-process communication scenarios. From an adversary perspective, this flaw maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through local manipulation and credential access via application exploitation. The attack chain typically begins with a local adversary gaining access to the device, then crafting malicious broadcast intents that target the vulnerable SmartThings components. The implications extend beyond simple information disclosure, as access to testing configurations could reveal implementation details that aid in developing more sophisticated attacks against the entire SmartThings ecosystem.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust intent validation mechanisms within broadcast receiver components, including source verification and parameter integrity checks. Application developers should enforce strict validation of intent parameters and ensure that broadcast receivers only process messages from trusted sources within the application's security domain. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and privilege separation within the application architecture can help contain the impact of such vulnerabilities. Samsung addressed this issue in version 1.8.13.22 through enhanced intent verification mechanisms and improved broadcast receiver security controls. Organizations should also implement monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous broadcast intent patterns and establish regular patch management procedures to ensure timely remediation of such vulnerabilities.