Popular Android Apps Like Xiaomi, WPS Office Vulnerable to File Overwrite Flaw

Popular Android Apps Like Xiaomi, WPS Office Vulnerable to File Overwrite Flaw

May 2, 2024 at 11:18AM

Several Android apps in the Google Play Store were found vulnerable to a path traversal-affiliated exploit, allowing malicious apps to overwrite files in the vulnerable app’s home directory. The implications include arbitrary code execution and token theft. Vulnerable apps include Xiaomi File Manager and WPS Office, but the issue has been rectified.

Key Takeaways from the Meeting Notes:

– Vulnerability in popular Android applications in Google Play Store allowing path traversal-affiliated attacks to overwrite arbitrary files in the app’s home directory, leading to potential token theft and unauthorized data access.

– Affected apps:
1. Xiaomi File Manager (com.mi.Android.globalFileexplorer) – Over 1 billion installs
2. WPS Office (cn.wps.moffice_eng) – Over 500 million installs

– Android’s content provider model, if not implemented correctly, could lead to bypassing read/write restrictions within an app’s home directory.

– Pitfall of consuming applications not validating the content of files received, potentially leading to overwriting critical files and enabling code execution.

– Responsible disclosure resulted in rectification of the issue by Xiaomi and WPS Office, with Microsoft and Google urging developers to check their apps for similar issues and implement proper handling of filenames.

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