Palo Alto Networks has revealed details of a widespread vulnerability in Google?s Android mobile operating system that allows attackers to hijack the installation of a seemingly safe Android application.
The application, Android Package File (APK), is vulnerable to hijacking and is replaced it with an app of the attacker?s choice, without the user?s knowledge.
Exploitation of this vulnerability, which is estimated to affect about 49.5% of current Android device users, allows attackers to potentially distribute malware, compromise devices and steal user data.
Palo Alto Networks also released an application?to help potentially affected Android users diagnose their devices.
Discovered by Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 threat researcher Zhi Xu, the vulnerability exploits a flaw in Android?s ?PackageInstaller? system service, allowing attackers to silently gain unlimited permissions in compromised devices.
Specifically:
1.?During installation, Android applications list the permissions requested to perform their function, such as a messaging app requesting access to SMS messages, but not GPS location.
2.?This vulnerability allows attackers to trick users by displaying a false, more limited set of permissions, while potentially gaining full access to the services and data on the user?s device, including personal information and passwords.
3.?While users believe they are installing a flashlight app, or a mobile game, with a well-defined and limited set of permissions, they are actually running potentially dangerous malware.
Unit 42, the Palo Alto Networks threat intelligence team, has worked with Google and Android device manufacturers such as Samsung and Amazon to help protect users and patch this vulnerability in affected versions of Android. Some older-version Android devices may remain vulnerable.
?This Android vulnerability means users who think they?re accessing legitimate applications with approved permissions may instead be exposed to data theft and malware.?We urge users to take advantage of the diagnostic application provided by Palo Alto Networks to check their devices, and we thank Google, Samsung and Amazon for their cooperation and attention,??said Ryan Olson, intelligence director of Unit 42 at Palo Alto Networks
The vulnerability disclosed today affects Android applications downloaded from third-party sources, and does not affect applications accessed from Google Play.
