CVE-2018-3988 Information disclosure in Signal

Low 3.3 Published 10 Dec 2018 Updated 5 Aug 2024

Signal for Android may leak private photos to other apps via cache when using disappearing messages, exposing sensitive user data.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: A user has to click or open something
Fix: None listed

What is CVE-2018-3988?

CVE-2018-3988 is a low-severity vulnerability in Signal, published on 10 Dec 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

Official description

Signal Messenger for Android 4.24.8 may expose private information when using "disappearing messages." If a user uses the photo feature available in the "attach file" menu, then Signal will leave the picture in its own cache directory, which is available to any application on the system.

Weakness: CWE-200

Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-3988?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Signal Private Messenger.

How do I fix CVE-2018-3988?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-3988 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

Is CVE-2018-3988 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-3988 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Sources

Also known as GHSA-f287-vf22-3v2c.