CVE-2022-39091 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the power management service of several Unisoc (Shanghai) Technologies Co., Ltd. chipsets, including SC9863A, SC9832E, SC7731E, T310, T606, T610, T612, T616, T618, T760, T770, T820, and S8000. These chipsets are integrated into devices running Android versions 10, 11, and 12. The root cause of the vulnerability is a missing authorization check (CWE-862) within the power management service, which allows an attacker with limited privileges (low-level privileges) to configure or manipulate power management settings without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects a high severity, with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). This means an attacker with local access and limited privileges can exploit this vulnerability to gain significant control over the device's power management functions, potentially leading to denial of service, unauthorized access to sensitive information, or persistent control over the device's operational state. The vulnerability affects a broad range of Unisoc chipsets commonly used in budget and mid-range smartphones, especially in markets where these chipsets have significant penetration. No public exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date (December 6, 2022), and no official patches have been linked yet. However, the presence of this vulnerability in core system services and its high impact rating make it a critical concern for device manufacturers and users relying on affected hardware and software versions.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-39091 can be significant, particularly for enterprises and service providers relying on mobile devices powered by Unisoc chipsets running Android 10 to 12. Exploitation could allow attackers to manipulate power management settings, potentially causing device instability, denial of service, or unauthorized access to sensitive data stored on mobile endpoints. This could disrupt business operations, especially for sectors with high mobile device usage such as telecommunications, logistics, and field services. Additionally, compromised devices could serve as entry points for lateral movement within corporate networks, increasing the risk of broader cyber incidents. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, organizations handling sensitive personal data or critical infrastructure could face regulatory and reputational consequences under GDPR and other European data protection frameworks. The vulnerability's local attack vector implies that attackers need some form of local access, which could be achieved through physical access, malicious apps with limited privileges, or compromised user accounts, emphasizing the need for strict device control policies.

1. Device and Firmware Updates: Organizations should work closely with device manufacturers and Unisoc to obtain and deploy firmware or OS patches addressing this vulnerability as soon as they become available. 2. Restrict Local Access: Implement strict physical security controls to prevent unauthorized physical access to devices. 3. Application Whitelisting and Privilege Management: Enforce policies that restrict installation of untrusted applications and limit app privileges to reduce the risk of local privilege escalation. 4. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR): Deploy mobile EDR solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior related to power management services or privilege escalations. 5. Network Segmentation: Isolate mobile devices from critical network segments to limit potential lateral movement if a device is compromised. 6. User Awareness and Training: Educate users on the risks of installing untrusted apps and the importance of device security hygiene. 7. Monitor for Indicators of Compromise: Although no known exploits are reported, monitor device logs and network traffic for unusual power management service activity or privilege escalations. 8. Vendor Engagement: Encourage Unisoc and device OEMs to provide timely patches and security advisories, and consider alternative hardware platforms if timely remediation is not forthcoming.