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Project Zero

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Summary

Google's Project Zero team reported multiple internet-to-baseband remote code execution vulnerabilities in Samsung Semiconductor's Exynos Modems. The four most severe vulnerabilities allowed an attacker to remotely compromise a phone at the baseband level with no user interaction, and the fourteen other related vulnerabilities require either a malicious mobile network operator or local access to the device. Affected devices include those from Samsung, Vivo, and Google. Users with affected devices can protect themselves by turning off Wi-Fi calling and Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE). Four of the vulnerabilities are being withheld from disclosure due to the level of access they provide and the speed with which an exploit could be crafted, while the other fourteen will be publicly disclosed at a later date.

Q&As

What are the four most severe vulnerabilities reported by Project Zero in Exynos Modems?
The four most severe vulnerabilities reported by Project Zero in Exynos Modems are CVE-2023-24033 and three other vulnerabilities that have yet to be assigned CVE-IDs.

What type of access do the four most severe vulnerabilities provide?
The four most severe vulnerabilities provide Internet-to-baseband remote code execution.

How can users protect themselves from the baseband remote code execution vulnerabilities?
Users can protect themselves from the baseband remote code execution vulnerabilities by turning off Wi-Fi calling and Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) in their device settings.

What products are affected by these vulnerabilities?
Products affected by these vulnerabilities include mobile devices from Samsung, Vivo, Google Pixel, and vehicles that use the Exynos Auto T5123 chipset.

What is Project Zero's policy on disclosing security vulnerabilities?
Project Zero's policy on disclosing security vulnerabilities is to publicly disclose them a set time after reporting them to a software or hardware vendor. In some rare cases where they have assessed attackers would benefit significantly more than defenders if a vulnerability was disclosed, they have made an exception to their policy and delayed disclosure of that vulnerability.

AI Comments

👍 It is admirable that Project Zero is taking the initiative to protect users from potential vulnerabilities in Samsung Semiconductor's Exynos Modems. It is commendable that they are being transparent about their policy exceptions and publicly disclosing the security vulnerabilities in their issue tracker.

👎 It is disappointing that there are still four vulnerabilities that are being withheld from disclosure. This could leave users vulnerable to exploitation if they don't take the necessary steps to protect themselves in the meantime.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about Project Zero's discovery of multiple internet to baseband remote code execution vulnerabilities in Exynos modems. It's a serious issue, as it allows an attacker to remotely compromise a phone at the baseband level with no user interaction, and just knowing the victim's phone number.

Me: It's concerning because this exploit would be easy for a skilled attacker to create and could potentially be used to target a large number of devices. Plus, affected devices include some of the most popular mobile devices from Samsung, Vivo, and Google's Pixel series.

Friend: Wow, that's really scary. What can people do to protect themselves?

Me: Until security updates are available, users can turn off Wi-Fi calling and Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) in their device settings, which will remove the exploitation risk of these vulnerabilities. Also, Project Zero is delaying disclosure for the four most severe vulnerabilities to prevent attackers from exploiting them. Finally, they encourage users to update their devices as soon as possible to ensure they are running the latest builds that fix both disclosed and undisclosed security vulnerabilities.

Action items

Update your device to the latest build to ensure that you are running the latest security updates.
Turn off Wi-Fi calling and Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) in your device settings to protect yourself from the baseband remote code execution vulnerabilities.
Monitor the Project Zero issue tracker for updates on the remaining ten vulnerabilities that have not yet hit their 90-day deadline.

Technical terms

Project Zero: A team of security researchers at Google that works to identify and report security vulnerabilities in software and hardware.
CVE-ID: Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) is a list of publicly known cybersecurity vulnerabilities and exposures. A CVE-ID is a unique identifier assigned to each vulnerability.
Wi-Fi Calling: A feature that allows users to make and receive calls over a Wi-Fi network.
Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE): A technology that allows users to make and receive calls over a 4G LTE network.
Exynos Modems: Modems produced by Samsung Semiconductor that are used in a variety of devices, including mobile phones, tablets, and vehicles.
0-day Vulnerabilities: A security vulnerability that is unknown to the software or hardware vendor, and has not yet been patched.
Remote Code Execution: A type of attack in which an attacker can execute code on a remote system without the user's knowledge or permission.
Malicious Mobile Network Operator: A mobile network operator that is deliberately attempting to exploit security vulnerabilities in order to gain access to a user's device.