CVE-2019-16401 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S3, and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 devices are vulnerable to Bluetooth injection attacks, exposing sensitive information.

Understanding CVE-2019-16401

This CVE involves a vulnerability in Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S3, and Samsung Galaxy Note 2 devices that allows the injection of specific commands through Bluetooth, leading to the exposure of critical data.

What is CVE-2019-16401?

The vulnerability in these Samsung devices enables attackers to inject AT+CIMI and AT+CGSN commands via Bluetooth, resulting in the disclosure of sensitive information such as IMSI, IMEI, call status, internet service status, and more.

The Impact of CVE-2019-16401

The exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to severe consequences, including unauthorized access to personal data, compromising user privacy, and potentially enabling further attacks.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-16401

This section provides in-depth technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows malicious actors to inject AT+CIMI and AT+CGSN commands over Bluetooth on the affected Samsung devices, leading to the exposure of critical information.

Affected Systems and Versions

Samsung Galaxy S8 Plus (Android version: 8.0.0, Build Number: R16NW.G955USQU5CRG3)
Samsung Galaxy S3 (Android version: 4.3, Build Number: JSS15J.I9300XXUGND5)
Samsung Galaxy Note 2 (Android version: 4.3, Build Number: JSS15J.I9300XUGND5)

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by sending malicious Bluetooth packets containing the specific commands, allowing them to retrieve sensitive information from the target devices.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting against CVE-2019-16401 requires immediate actions and long-term security measures.

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable Bluetooth on the affected devices when not in use
Avoid connecting to unknown or untrusted Bluetooth devices
Regularly monitor for suspicious Bluetooth activities

Long-Term Security Practices

Keep devices updated with the latest security patches
Implement strong encryption protocols for Bluetooth communications
Educate users about the risks of Bluetooth attacks and how to identify suspicious activities

Patching and Updates

Samsung should release security patches addressing this vulnerability promptly
Users should regularly check for and apply software updates to mitigate the risk of exploitation