Samsung Mobile Devices Improper Access Control
CVE-2021-25369 is a medium-severity exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor vulnerability in Samsung Mobile Devices from Samsung, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 5.5 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists version SMR Mar-2021 Release 1 as the first without the flaw, so updating Samsung Mobile Devices to that release or later removes the exposure. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on November 8, 2022, which means attacks have been observed in the wild.
Attackers are already exploiting this vulnerability, according to CISA.
What to do
- Update Samsung Mobile Devices to SMR Mar-2021 Release 1 or a later version.
- CISA's required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- Read the advisory on security.samsungmobile.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Mobile | Samsung Mobile Devices | O(8.x), P(9.0), Q(10.0) up to, but not including, SMR Mar-2021 Release 1 | SMR Mar-2021 Release 1 |
| Samsung | Android | 8.0; 8.1; 9.0; 10.0 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 6.2 | Medium | CNA (samsung.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 5.5 | Medium | NVD |
| CVSS 2.0 | 2.1 | Low | NVD |
Official description
An improper access control vulnerability in sec_log file prior to SMR MAR-2021 Release 1 exposes sensitive kernel information to userspace.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
The product exposes sensitive information to an actor that is not explicitly authorized to have access to that information.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Compartmentalize the system to have safe areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
More Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor vulnerabilities (CWE-200)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
- Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-25369US Government Resource
Other vulnerabilities in Samsung Mobile Devices
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Cisco ASA and FTD Information Disclosure Exploited
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SAP NetWeaver Information Disclosure Exploited
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Adobe Flash Player ASLR Bypass Exploited
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