Samsung Mobile is releasing a maintenance release for major flagship models as part of monthly Security Maintenance Release (SMR) process. This SMR package includes patches from Google and Samsung.
Google patches include patches up to Android Security Bulletin – May 2021 package. The Bulletin (May 2021) contains the following CVE items:
Critical
CVE-2021-0473, CVE-2021-0474, CVE-2021-0475
High
CVE-2020-25705, CVE-2020-11246, CVE-2020-11234, CVE-2020-15436, CVE-2020-29368, CVE-2020-11251, CVE-2020-11236, CVE-2020-11247, CVE-2020-11237, CVE-2020-11191, CVE-2020-11255, CVE-2020-11243, CVE-2021-0445, CVE-2021-0472, CVE-2021-0485, CVE-2021-0487, CVE-2021-0482, CVE-2021-0484, CVE-2021-0476, CVE-2021-0477, CVE-2021-0481, CVE-2021-0466, CVE-2021-0480
Moderate
CVE-2021-0375, CVE-2021-0387, CVE-2021-0369, CVE-2021-0382, CVE-2021-0368, CVE-2021-0374, CVE-2021-0378, CVE-2021-0379, CVE-2021-0384, CVE-2021-0370, CVE-2021-0372, CVE-2021-0377, CVE-2021-0380, CVE-2021-0383, CVE-2021-0386, CVE-2021-0388, CVE-2021-0371
Already included in previous updates
CVE-2020-11242, CVE-2020-11245, CVE-2020-11210, CVE-2020-11252, CVE-2020-11292*
*Select devices have been patched since January of 2021
Not applicable to Samsung devices
CVE-2021-0468
※ Please see Android Security Bulletin for detailed information on Google patches.
Along with Google patches, Samsung Mobile provides 23 Samsung Vulnerabilities and Exposures (SVE) items described below, in order to improve our customer’s confidence on security of Samsung Mobile devices. Samsung security index (SSI), found in “Security software version”, SMR May-2021 Release 1 includes all patches from Samsung and Google. Some of the SVE items may not be included in this package, in case these items were already included in a previous maintenance release.
SVE-2021-20636 (CVE-2021-25388): Arbitray app installation vulnerability in Knox Core
Severity: High
Affected versions: R(11.0)
Reported on: February 16, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed
Improper caller check vulnerability in Knox Core prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows attackers to install arbitrary app.
The patch restricts privilege of app that calls Knox Core.
SVE-2021-20690 (CVE-2021-25392): Possible to access notification policy file of DeX
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: P(9.0), Q(10.0) , R(11.0)
Reported on: February 14, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed
Improper protection of backup path configuration in Samsung Dex prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows local attackers to get sensitive information via changing the path.
The patch removes the vulnerable code.
SVE-2021-20731 (CVE-2021-25393): Possible to read/write access to arbitrary files as system user
Severity: High
Affected versions: Q(10.0) , R(11.0)
Reported on: February 18, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed
Improper sanitization of incoming intent in SecSettings prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows local attackers to get permissions to access system uid data.
The patch sanitizes incoming Intent before passing it to caller.
SVE-2021-20167 (CVE-2021-25394), SVE-2021-20168 (CVE-2021-25395): UAF in mfc charger driver
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: Selected O(8.1), P(9.0), Q(10.0), R(11.0) Exynos and Qualcomm devices
Reported on: December 31, 2020
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed
A use after free vulnerability via race condition in MFC charger driver prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows arbitrary write given a radio privilege is compromised.
The patch adds proper synchronization points to avoid all possibility of a race condition.
SVE-2021-20511 (CVE-2021-25396): Arbitrary memory write in the Neural Processing Unit Firmware
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: Q(10.0), R(11.0) devices with Exynos9820, 9830, 980, 2100 chipsets
Reported on: January 31, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed
An improper input validation vulnerability in NPU firmware prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows arbitrary memory write and code execution.
The patch fixes incorrect implementation of NPU firmware.
SVE-2021-20716 (CVE-2021-25397): Arbitrary file write int TelephonyUI
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: P(9.0), Q(10.0), R(11.0) devices
Reported on: February 16, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed
An improper access control vulnerability in TelephonyUI prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows local attackers to write arbitrary files of telephony process via untrusted applications.
The patch adds the proper permission check to prevent improper access to TelephonyUI.
SVE-2021-20204 (CVE-2021-25389): Authentication bypass in S Secure
Severity: Low
Affected versions: P(9.0)
Reported on: January 6, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed
Improper running task check in S Secure prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows attackers to use locked app without authentication.
The patch modifies the logic that check running process.
SVE-2021-20724 (CVE-2021-25390): Intent redirection in PhotoTable
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: O(8.1), P(9.x), Q(10.0), R(11.0)
Reported on: February 17, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed
Intent redirection vulnerability in PhotoTable prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows attackers to execute privileged action.
The patch restricts apps that can call PhotoTable.
SVE-2021-20500 (CVE-2021-25391): Intent redirection in Secure Folder
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: R(11.0)
Reported on: January 29, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed
Intent redirection vulnerability in Secure Folder prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows attackers to execute privileged action.
The patch restricts apps that can call SecureFolder.
SVE-2021-20154 (CVE-2021-25383): Arbitrary code execution on mediaextractor process
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: O(8.1), P(9.x), Q(10.0), R(11.0)
Reported on: January 3, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed.
An improper input validation vulnerability in scmn_mfal_read() in libsapeextractor library prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on mediaextractor process.
The patch adds proper input check to prevent buffer overflow.
SVE-2021-20183 (CVE-2021-25384): Arbitrary code execution on mediaextractor process
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: O(8.1), P(9.x), Q(10.0), R(11.0)
Reported on: January 5, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed.
An improper input validation vulnerability in sdfffd_parse_chunk_PROP() with Sample Rate Chunk in libsdffextractor library prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on mediaextractor process.
The patch adds proper input check to prevent buffer overflow.
SVE-2021-20184 (CVE-2021-25385): Arbitrary code execution on mediaextractor process
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: O(8.1), P(9.x), Q(10.0), R(11.0)
Reported on: January 5, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed.
An improper input validation vulnerability in sdfffd_parse_chunk_PROP() in libsdffextractor library prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on mediaextractor process.
The patch adds proper input check to prevent buffer overflow.
SVE-2021-20185 (CVE-2021-25386): Arbitrary code execution on mediaextractor process
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: O(8.1), P(9.x), Q(10.0), R(11.0)
Reported on: January 5, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed.
An improper input validation vulnerability in sdfffd_parse_chunk_FVER() in libsdffextractor library prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on mediaextractor process.
The patch adds proper input check to prevent buffer overflow.
SVE-2021-20202 (CVE-2021-25387): Arbitrary code execution on mediaextractor process
Severity: Moderate
Affected versions: O(8.1), P(9.x), Q(10.0), R(11.0)
Reported on: January 6, 2021
Disclosure status: Privately disclosed.
An improper input validation vulnerability in sflacfd_get_frm() in libsflacextractor library prior to SMR MAY-2021 Release 1 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code on mediaextractor process.
The patch adds proper input check to prevent buffer overflow.
Some SVE items included in the Samsung Android Security Update cannot be disclosed at this time.
Acknowledgements
We truly appreciate the following researchers for helping Samsung to improve the security of our products.
Sergey Toshin of Oversecured Inc: SVE-2021-20636, SVE-2021-20690, SVE-2021-20731, SVE-2021-20716, SVE-2021-20724, SVE-2021-20500
Maxime Peterlin of Longterm Security: SVE-2021-20511
Harsh Tyagi: SVE-2021-20204
Le Wu of Baidu Security: SVE-2021-20154, SVE-2021-20183, SVE-2021-20184, SVE-2021-20185, SVE-2021-20202