CVE-2024-31318 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2024
In CompanionDeviceManagerService.java, there is a possible way to pair a companion device without user acceptance due to a missing permission check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/17/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-31318 resides within the CompanionDeviceManagerService.java component of Android systems, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the device pairing authorization mechanism. This issue manifests as a missing permission check that allows unauthorized pairing operations to occur without proper user consent, fundamentally compromising the integrity of the device's companion device management framework. The vulnerability specifically affects the Android operating system's implementation of companion device pairing protocols, where the system should enforce strict user approval before establishing connections between devices.
The technical flaw stems from an insufficient validation mechanism within the CompanionDeviceManagerService that fails to verify proper authorization tokens or user consent before executing device pairing operations. This missing permission check creates a privilege escalation vector where malicious applications or processes can bypass the standard user acceptance workflow that normally requires explicit confirmation before pairing with companion devices. The vulnerability operates at the system level, leveraging the inherent trust relationships between Android components to execute unauthorized pairing operations without requiring any additional execution privileges or user interaction. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a critical failure in the Android security model's device pairing implementation.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-31318 extends beyond simple unauthorized device pairing, creating potential pathways for broader system compromise through local privilege escalation. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to establish persistent connections with malicious devices, potentially enabling data exfiltration, command execution, or further exploitation of other system components. The lack of user interaction requirement makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited automatically without any user awareness or intervention, allowing for silent compromise of devices. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a significant weakening of the Android security boundary that protects against unauthorized device pairing operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate system hardening and long-term architectural improvements to the companion device pairing framework. Organizations should implement immediate patching of affected Android versions and ensure that all system components are updated to the latest security releases. System administrators should monitor for unauthorized device pairing activities and implement network-level controls to detect and prevent suspicious pairing operations. The vulnerability's characteristics suggest that defensive measures should include enhanced monitoring of CompanionDeviceManagerService API calls and implementation of additional authorization layers that verify user intent before executing pairing operations. This vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and access control mechanisms as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, where the missing permission check represents a failure to enforce proper access controls at the system service level.