CVE-2024-6780 in Mobile Application
Summary
by MITRE • 07/16/2024
Improper permission control in the mobile application (com.android.server.telecom) may lead to user information security risks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-6780 represents a critical weakness in the Android telecom service component that affects the broader mobile application ecosystem. This flaw resides within the com.android.server.telecom package which serves as the core telecommunications service handler in Android devices, managing phone calls, SMS messaging, and other communication functions. The improper permission control mechanism creates a pathway for unauthorized access to sensitive user information that should be protected by proper access controls and security boundaries. This vulnerability specifically targets the Android operating system's telephony services and demonstrates a fundamental failure in the permission model that governs how applications and system services interact with user data. The issue stems from inadequate validation of access permissions when processing telecommunication-related operations, allowing potential attackers to exploit gaps in the security architecture that should normally prevent unauthorized data access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability manifests through insufficient authorization checks within the telecom service framework, where legitimate system components may inadvertently grant access to sensitive user data without proper verification of the requesting entity's privileges. This weakness enables attackers to potentially intercept or access user communication data, call logs, contact information, and other personal identifiers that are typically protected by Android's security model. The flaw operates at the system level rather than application level, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited across multiple applications that depend on the telecom service for functionality. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform unauthorized data access operations that would normally be restricted by proper permission enforcement mechanisms, effectively bypassing the security controls that should separate different user contexts and protect sensitive information from unauthorized access.
The operational impact of CVE-2024-6780 extends beyond simple data exposure to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks including call interception, message monitoring, and comprehensive user behavior tracking. This vulnerability can be exploited to create persistent surveillance capabilities that allow attackers to monitor communication patterns and extract valuable personal information over time. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that telecom services are fundamental to mobile device functionality and are typically granted broad permissions by the operating system. Security researchers have identified that this flaw aligns with CWE-284 which describes improper access control vulnerabilities, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1059 which involves the execution of malicious code through system services. The vulnerability represents a significant threat to user privacy and can be leveraged to conduct targeted surveillance operations, making it particularly dangerous in environments where mobile security is paramount.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2024-6780 require immediate attention from device manufacturers and system administrators who must ensure proper permission enforcement is restored within the telecom service framework. The primary remediation involves implementing proper access control checks within the com.android.server.telecom component to validate all incoming requests for telecommunications data access. Device vendors should prioritize patching affected systems and ensuring that permission boundaries are properly enforced for all telecom-related operations. Users should be advised to keep their devices updated with the latest security patches and to monitor for unusual network activity that might indicate exploitation attempts. Security monitoring solutions should be enhanced to detect anomalous access patterns within telephony services and to alert administrators to potential unauthorized access attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as application sandboxing and enhanced logging to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting this vulnerability, while maintaining compliance with privacy regulations and data protection standards.