# CVE-2023-38298: Information disclosure in n/a

> A local malicious app can read the device IMEI from a system property, bypassing Android privacy restrictions on TCL devices.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/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:** Over the internet
- **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-mr38-8f53-xh3h

## What is CVE-2023-38298?

CVE-2023-38298 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Apr 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Various software builds for the following TCL devices (30Z, A3X, 20XE, 10L) leak the device IMEI to a system property that can be accessed by any local app on the device without any permissions or special privileges. Google restricted third-party apps from directly obtaining non-resettable device identifiers in Android 10 and higher, but in these instances they are leaked by a high-privilege process and can be obtained indirectly. The software build fingerprints for each confirmed vulnerable device are as follows: 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); TCL A3X (TCL/A600DL/Delhi_TF:11/RKQ1.201202.002/vAAZ:user/release-keys, TCL/A600DL/Delhi_TF:11/RKQ1.201202.002/vAB3:user/release-keys, TCL/A600DL/Delhi_TF:11/RKQ1.201202.002/vAB7:user/release-keys, TCL/A600DL/Delhi_TF:11/RKQ1.201202.002/vABA:user/release-keys, TCL/A600DL/Delhi_TF:11/RKQ1.201202.002/vABM:user/release-keys, TCL/A600DL/Delhi_TF:11/RKQ1.201202.002/vABP:user/release-keys, and TCL/A600DL/Delhi_TF:11/RKQ1.201202.002/vABS:user/release-keys); TCL 20XE (TCL/5087Z_BO/Doha_TMO:11/RP1A.200720.011/PB7I-0:user/release-keys and TCL/5087Z_BO/Doha_TMO:11/RP1A.200720.011/PB83-0:user/release-keys); and TCL 10L (TCL/T770B/T1_LITE:10/QKQ1.200329.002/3CJ0:user/release-keys and TCL/T770B/T1_LITE:11/RKQ1.210107.001/8BIC:user/release-keys). This malicious app reads from the "gsm.device.imei0" system property to indirectly obtain the device IMEI.

Weakness: CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), CWE-280 (Improper Handling of Insufficient Permissions or Privileges), CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-38298?


## How do I fix CVE-2023-38298?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-38298 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-38298 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-38298 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-38298 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-38298 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 22 Apr 2024. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-38298 exists.

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-2023-38298/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38298/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-38298
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-38298
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-38298

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-38298/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.