Indian Government Warns of High-Risk Vulnerabilities in Samsung Galaxy Phones in India

Indian CERT-In Releases Severe Risk Advisory for Samsung Mobile Device Users

Impacted Samsung Devices

• Operating systems affected: Android 11, 12, 13, and 14
• Devices at risk: Galaxy S23 series, Galaxy Flip 5, Galaxy Fold 5

Noted Vulnerabilities Discovered

• Inadequate access control within Knox features
• Flaw involving integer overflow in facial recognition software
• Authorization concerns with the AR Emoji application
• Mishandling of errors in Knox security software
• Multiple vulnerabilities related to memory corruption across various system components
• Errors in data size verification within the softsimd library
• Unvalidated user input in the Smart Clip app
• Potential hijacking of specific app interactions in contacts

Possible Repercussions

• Unauthorized access leading to data theft
• Device takeover through phone hijacking
• Malware installation risks
• Vulnerabilities such as heap overflow and stack-based buffer overflow
• Unauthorized access to device SIM PIN information
• Broadcasting capabilities with elevated privileges
• Potential access to AR Emoji sandbox data
• Circumvention of Knox Guard lock security measures
• Unauthorized access to arbitrary files
• Execution of arbitrary code on the device
• Compromise of the targeted system’s security

Recommended Preventive Measures

• Ensure installation of the most recent Samsung security patches
• Timely installation of security updates
• Exercise vigilance while installing applications, clicking on links, and navigating unknown websites