CVE-2023-20749 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

This CVE record was assigned by MediaTek and published on June 6, 2023. It involves a vulnerability in swpm that could potentially lead to a local escalation of privilege without the need for user interaction.

Understanding CVE-2023-20749

This section will delve into the details of CVE-2023-20749, including what it is, its impact, technical aspects, and how to mitigate the vulnerability.

What is CVE-2023-20749?

CVE-2023-20749 is a vulnerability found in swpm, specifically related to a missing bounds check. This vulnerability could allow an attacker to perform an out-of-bounds write operation, potentially leading to local privilege escalation. Importantly, the exploitation of this vulnerability does not require any user interaction, making it particularly dangerous.

The Impact of CVE-2023-20749

The impact of CVE-2023-20749 is the potential for an attacker to elevate their privileges locally on affected systems. This could enable them to execute malicious actions with system-level privileges, posing a significant security risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-20749

This section will cover the technical aspects of CVE-2023-20749, including a description of the vulnerability, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in swpm is due to a missing bounds check, which can result in an out-of-bounds write operation. This can be exploited by threat actors to escalate their privileges on the local system.

Affected Systems and Versions

The following MediaTek products are affected by CVE-2023-20749: MT6789, MT6835, MT6855, MT6879, MT6886, MT6893, MT6895, MT6983, MT6985, MT8167, MT8167S, MT8168, MT8175, MT8195, MT8321, MT8362A, MT8365, MT8385, MT8673, MT8765, MT8766, MT8768, MT8781, MT8786, MT8788, MT8791T, MT8797. Specifically, devices running Android 13.0 are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

The exploitation of CVE-2023-20749 does not require any user interaction. Attackers with knowledge of this vulnerability can exploit it to carry out a local privilege escalation attack on the affected systems.

Mitigation and Prevention

In this section, we will explore the steps to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2023-20749, including immediate actions to take, long-term security practices, and the importance of patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

To mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2023-20749, users are advised to apply the patch provided by MediaTek (Patch ID: ALPS07780926; Issue ID: ALPS07780926). Additionally, users should monitor their systems for any signs of unauthorized privilege escalation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implementing strong security practices, such as regular security assessments, access control measures, and ongoing monitoring, can help prevent and detect similar vulnerabilities in the future.

Patching and Updates

Ensuring that systems are regularly updated with the latest security patches and firmware updates is crucial in maintaining the security of the devices. Users should stay informed about security bulletins and promptly apply any patches released by the vendor.