CVE-2024-34635 in Notes
Summary
by MITRE • 08/07/2024
Out-of-bounds read in parsing textbox object in Samsung Notes prior to version 4.4.21.62 allows local attacker to access unauthorized memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/10/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-34635 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw discovered in Samsung Notes application prior to version 4.4.21.62. This issue resides within the parsing mechanism of textbox objects, specifically affecting how the application handles input data structures during document processing. The vulnerability manifests when the application attempts to read memory locations beyond the allocated bounds of a textbox object, creating potential pathways for unauthorized data access. Such flaws typically arise from insufficient input validation and boundary checking within memory management routines, particularly in applications that process structured document formats. The affected Samsung Notes application processes various text elements and formatting components, making textbox objects a critical parsing target that requires robust boundary validation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic buffer overread condition where the parsing logic fails to properly validate the size or boundaries of textbox data structures before accessing memory regions. This flaw operates at the application level within Samsung Notes, specifically targeting the document parser responsible for interpreting and rendering textbox elements. When malicious input data is processed through the textbox parsing routine, the application reads beyond the intended memory boundaries, potentially exposing sensitive information stored in adjacent memory locations. The out-of-bounds read behavior creates opportunities for attackers to extract confidential data, including but not limited to user credentials, personal information, or application state details that may be stored in neighboring memory segments. This type of vulnerability is classified under CWE-129 as "Improper Validation of Array Index" and falls within the broader category of memory safety issues that affect application stability and data confidentiality.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks for local attackers who can leverage the out-of-bounds read to access unauthorized memory regions. The local privilege requirement means that an attacker must already have access to the device to exploit this vulnerability, but the potential impact remains severe as it could expose sensitive user data or application internals. Attackers might utilize this flaw to extract personal information, session tokens, or other confidential data that could be stored in memory adjacent to the textbox parsing structures. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple data exposure, potentially enabling further exploitation techniques such as information leakage that could aid in more sophisticated attacks. This particular flaw represents a medium to high severity risk in the context of mobile application security, especially considering Samsung Notes' role in processing personal documents and notes that often contain sensitive user information.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2024-34635 requires immediate deployment of Samsung Notes version 4.4.21.62 or later, which includes patches addressing the out-of-bounds read condition in textbox object parsing. Security administrators should prioritize updating all affected devices to ensure proper boundary validation is implemented within the application's memory management routines. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing runtime monitoring to detect unusual memory access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The fix typically involves strengthening input validation procedures and ensuring proper bounds checking before any memory access operations within the textbox parsing component. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques such as T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1566 for credential access, as the exploitation could potentially lead to information disclosure and credential harvesting. System administrators should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies to limit the execution of potentially vulnerable applications and maintain comprehensive audit logs to detect any exploitation attempts. Regular security assessments of mobile applications should include thorough testing of parsing routines and memory access patterns to identify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited by malicious actors.