# CVE-2018-14991: Missing authorization in n/a

> A pre-installed RCS app on specific Android devices exposes an unprotected content provider, allowing any local app to read and modify user text messages.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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-wgwv-h6gg-qxww

## What is CVE-2018-14991?

CVE-2018-14991 is a critical 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 Coolpad Defiant device with a build fingerprint of Coolpad/cp3632a/cp3632a:7.1.1/NMF26F/099480857:user/release-keys, the ZTE ZMAX Pro with a build fingerprint of ZTE/P895T20/urd:6.0.1/MMB29M/20170418.114928:user/release-keys, and the T-Mobile Revvl Plus with a build fingerprint of Coolpad/alchemy/alchemy:7.1.1/143.14.171129.3701A-TMO/buildf_nj_02-206:user/release-keys all contain a vulnerable, pre-installed Rich Communication Services (RCS) app. These devices contain an that app has a package name of com.suntek.mway.rcs.app.service (versionCode=1, versionName=RCS_sdk_M_native_20161008_01; versionCode=1, versionName=RCS_sdk_M_native_20170406_01) with an exported content provider named com.suntek.mway.rcs.app.service.provider.message.MessageProvider and a refactored version of the app with a package name of com.rcs.gsma.na.sdk (versionCode=1, versionName=RCS_SDK_20170804_01) with a content provider named com.rcs.gsma.na.provider.message.MessageProvider allow any app co-located on the device to read, write, insert, and modify the user's text messages. This is enabled by an exported content provider app component that serves as a wrapper to the official content provider that contains the user's text messages. This app cannot be disabled by the user and the attack can be performed by a zero-permission app.

Weakness: CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-14991?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Coolpad Defiant Firmware, T-Mobile Revvl Plus Firmware, T-Mobile Zte Zmax Pro Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-14991?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-14991 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-14991 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-14991 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2018-14990](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14990/): Missing authorization in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2018-15003](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15003/): Missing authorization in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-14991 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-14991 is a critical 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-2018-14991 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-2018-14991/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14991/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-14991
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-14991
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-14991

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14991/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.