# CVE-2023-38295: Missing authorization in n/a

> A missing permission check in TCL pre-installed apps allows malicious third-party apps to access system-privileged services for arbitrary file read and write operations.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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 available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Apr 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-m286-4wcq-v339

## What is CVE-2023-38295?

CVE-2023-38295 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Apr 2024. 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

Certain software builds for the TCL 30Z and TCL 10 Android devices contain a vulnerable, pre-installed app that relies on a missing permission that provides no protection at runtime. The missing permission is required as an access permission by components in various pre-installed apps. On the TCL 30Z device, the vulnerable app has a package name of com.tcl.screenrecorder (versionCode='1221092802', versionName='v5.2120.02.12008.1.T' ; versionCode='1221092805', versionName='v5.2120.02.12008.2.T'). On the TCL 10L device, the vulnerable app has a package name of com.tcl.sos (versionCode='2020102827', versionName='v3.2014.12.1012.B'). When a third-party app declares and requests the missing permission, it can interact with certain service components in the aforementioned apps (that execute with "system" privileges) to perform arbitrary files reads/writes in its context. An app exploiting this vulnerability only needs to declare and request the single missing permission and no user interaction is required beyond installing and running a third-party app. The software build fingerprints for each confirmed vulnerable device are as follows: TCL 10L (TCL/T770B/T1_LITE:11/RKQ1.210107.001/8BIC:user/release-keys) and TCL 30Z (TCL/4188R/Jetta_ATT:12/SP1A.210812.016/LV8E:user/release-keys, TCL/T602DL/Jetta_TF:12/SP1A.210812.016/vU5P:user/release-keys, TCL/T602DL/Jetta_TF:12/SP1A.210812.016/vU61:user/release-keys, TCL/T602DL/Jetta_TF:12/SP1A.210812.016/vU66:user/release-keys, TCL/T602DL/Jetta_TF:12/SP1A.210812.016/vU68:user/release-keys, TCL/T602DL/Jetta_TF:12/SP1A.210812.016/vU6P:user/release-keys, and TCL/T602DL/Jetta_TF:12/SP1A.210812.016/vU6X:user/release-keys). This malicious app declares the missing permission named com.tct.smart.switchphone.permission.SWITCH_DATA as a normal permission, requests the missing permission, and uses it to interact with the com.tct.smart.switchdata.DataService service component that is declared in vulnerable apps that execute with "system" privileges to perform arbitrary file reads/writes.

Weakness: CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38295?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-38295?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-38295 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-38295 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-38295 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-38295 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-38295 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Apr 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-38295 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-2023-38295/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38295/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38295
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38295
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38295

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38295/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.