CVE-2022-22292 - Unprotected Dynamic Broadcast Receiver Vulnerability in Telecom prior to SMR Feb-2022 Release 1: Exploit Details and Remediation

CVE-2022-22292 is a critical security vulnerability that affects the Telecom system, specifically prior to the SMR (Security Maintenance Release) February 2022 Release 1. This vulnerability stems from an unprotected dynamic broadcast receiver, which allows untrusted applications to potentially launch arbitrary activities. As a result, malicious apps could exploit this security flaw to perform a range of unauthorized actions, potentially compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected device or system.

In this long-read post, we will delve into the technical details of CVE-2022-22292, examining how this vulnerability can be exploited and outlining some remediation steps to protect your systems. We will also provide code snippets to help illustrate the vulnerability and various links to the original references to help you better understand and address this security issue.

Exploit Details

The main cause of CVE-2022-22292 is the unprotected dynamic broadcast receiver in the Telecom application. Dynamic broadcast receivers are used in Android apps to handle different types of system-wide events, such as incoming messages, phone calls, or device-status changes. However, when these broadcast receivers are not properly secured, they can be exploited by malicious apps to interfere with their intended operation or even launch arbitrary activities.

In the case of CVE-2022-22292, an untrusted application can register a malicious BroadcastReceiver to gain unauthorized access to the affected phone system and perform various actions, such as launching arbitrary activities. This can lead to a range of security issues, including unauthorized access to sensitive information, data theft, or even remote code execution.

To further illustrate this vulnerability, let's take a look at a simple code snippet that demonstrates how an unprotected dynamic broadcast receiver can be exploited by a malicious app:

// Malicious app registers a malicious BroadcastReceiver
IntentFilter filter = new IntentFilter("com.example.Telecom.MyDynamicBroadcastReceiver");
MyMaliciousBroadcastReceiver maliciousReceiver = new MyMaliciousBroadcastReceiver();
registerReceiver(maliciousReceiver, filter);

//...

public class MyMaliciousBroadcastReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
        // Launch arbitrary activity or perform malicious actions
         Intent maliciousIntent = new Intent(context, MyMaliciousActivity.class);
         maliciousIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);
         context.startActivity(maliciousIntent);
    }
}

For more details on CVE-2022-22292, you can refer to the following primary sources

1. CVE Details: CVE-2022-22292
2. Mitre CVE Record: CVE-2022-22292
3. National Vulnerability Database (NVD): CVE-2022-22292

Remediation Steps

To protect your systems from CVE-2022-22292 and similar vulnerabilities, you can follow these recommendations:

1. Update your Telecom application to the latest version, particularly SMR February 2022 Release 1 or later, which includes fixes for this vulnerability.

2. Secure your dynamic broadcast receivers by using proper permissions and other security measures. For example, you can restrict the access to your BroadcastReceiver using a custom permission:

// AndroidManifest.xml
<receiver android:name=".MyDynamicBroadcastReceiver"
    android:permission="com.example.Telecom.MY_DYNAMIC_PERMISSION" >

    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="com.example.Telecom.MyDynamicBroadcastReceiver" />
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

// Grant the custom permission to trusted apps only
<permission android:name="com.example.Telecom.MY_DYNAMIC_PERMISSION"
    android:protectionLevel="signature" />

3. Regularly scan your device and applications for security vulnerabilities and apply the necessary patches or updates to stay protected against emerging threats.

4. Exercise caution when downloading apps from third-party sources, to avoid installing potentially malicious applications that could exploit vulnerabilities like CVE-2022-22292.

Conclusion

CVE-2022-22292 is a critical security vulnerability affecting the Telecom system prior to SMR Feb-2022 Release 1. Due to an unprotected dynamic broadcast receiver, untrusted applications can potentially launch arbitrary activities, compromising the security and integrity of the affected system. To protect your systems from this vulnerability, it is essential to update to the latest version of the Telecom application, implement appropriate security measures for dynamic broadcast receivers, and continually monitor and update your devices and applications for emerging threats.

Timeline

Published on: 02/11/2022 18:15:00 UTC
Last modified on: 02/18/2022 20:47:00 UTC