CVE-2024-49422 in Samsung
Summary
by MITRE • 12/31/2024
Protection Mechanism Failure in bootloader prior to SMR Oct-2024 Release 1 allows physical attackers to reset lockscreen failure count by hardware fault injection. User interaction is required for triggering this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/02/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical protection mechanism failure in bootloader implementations prior to the SMR October 2024 security release. The flaw specifically targets the lockscreen failure count reset functionality, which is a fundamental security control designed to prevent brute force attacks and unauthorized access attempts. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it leverages hardware fault injection techniques that can be executed by physical attackers with direct access to the device hardware. This attack vector operates at the bootloader level, which is one of the most critical components in a device's security architecture as it establishes the initial trust boundary and controls access to the underlying operating system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves exploiting a weakness in the bootloader's error handling mechanisms that govern how lockscreen failure counts are managed. When hardware fault injection is successfully applied, it can manipulate the bootloader's state management functions to reset the failure counter that tracks unsuccessful authentication attempts. This reset effectively nullifies the security measures designed to lock out attackers after multiple failed login attempts, allowing for repeated brute force attacks without the normal rate limiting protections. The requirement for user interaction to trigger the vulnerability indicates that the attack likely involves physical manipulation of the device during the authentication process, potentially through techniques such as power cycling, voltage manipulation, or timing attacks that can be synchronized with user input events.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for devices that rely on bootloader-level security controls for access protection. Physical attackers with access to the device can bypass security mechanisms that are intended to protect against automated attack tools and manual brute force attempts. This creates a window of opportunity for attackers to attempt multiple password or PIN guesses without triggering the normal security locks that would typically prevent such activities. The vulnerability affects devices running bootloader versions prior to the SMR October 2024 release, indicating that this was likely a known issue that was addressed through firmware updates but left vulnerable systems exposed. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-310, which covers Cryptographic Issues, and specifically relates to weaknesses in authentication mechanisms and security state management.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve updating to the SMR October 2024 release or later, which contains the necessary fixes to address the bootloader error handling and state management issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive firmware update policies to ensure all devices are protected against this attack vector. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing device-level monitoring to detect unusual authentication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques such as T1552.001 (Unsecured Credentials) and T1072 (Software Deployment Tools) where attackers can leverage physical access to bypass security controls. The vulnerability also relates to T1499.004 (Authorization), as it allows attackers to circumvent authorization mechanisms that should prevent repeated authentication attempts. Device manufacturers should also consider implementing hardware-based security features such as secure boot mechanisms and tamper detection capabilities to provide additional layers of protection against physical attack vectors.