# CVE-2018-14989: Missing authorization in n/a

> An exported broadcast receiver in the Android Settings app allows any local app to trigger a factory reset without permissions, causing data loss.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 25 Apr 2019
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-h4jj-wp3v-m7x9

## What is CVE-2018-14989?

CVE-2018-14989 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Apr 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Plum Compass Android device with a build fingerprint of PLUM/c179_hwf_221/c179_hwf_221:6.0/MRA58K/W16.51.5-22:user/release-keys contains a pre-installed platform app with a package name of com.android.settings (versionCode=23, versionName=6.0-eng.root.20161223.224055) that contains an exported broadcast receiver app component which allows any app co-located on the device to programmatically perform a factory reset. In addition, the app initiating the factory reset does not require any permissions. A factory reset will remove all user data and apps from the device. This will result in the loss of any data that have not been backed up or synced externally. The capability to perform a factory reset is not directly available to third-party apps (those that the user installs themselves with the exception of enabled Mobile Device Management (MDM) apps), although this capability can be obtained by leveraging an unprotected app component of a pre-installed platform app.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-14989?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Plum-Mobile Compass Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-14989?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-14989 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-14989 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-14989 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-14989 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-14989 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Apr 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-14989 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14989/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14989/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-14989
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-14989
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-14989

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14989/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.