CVE-2022-39092 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the power management service of several Unisoc (Shanghai) Technologies Co., Ltd. chipsets, including SC9863A, SC9832E, SC7731E, and multiple T-series models (T310, T606, T610, T612, T616, T618, T760, T770, T820) as well as the S8000. These chipsets are integrated into devices running Android versions 10, 11, and 12. The core issue is a missing authorization check (CWE-862) within the power management service, which allows an attacker with limited privileges (local access with low privileges) to configure or manipulate power management settings without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, indicating high severity, with the vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. This means the attack requires local access with low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability significantly. Exploitation could allow an attacker to escalate privileges or disrupt device functionality by manipulating power management, potentially leading to denial of service, data leakage, or unauthorized control over device power states. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and impact make it a critical concern for devices using affected Unisoc chipsets. The missing permission check implies that any local app or process with minimal privileges could exploit this flaw to gain elevated control over power management, bypassing intended security controls.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-39092 is significant, especially for those relying on mobile devices or embedded systems powered by Unisoc chipsets running Android 10-12. The vulnerability could be exploited by malicious local applications or insiders to gain unauthorized control over device power management, potentially causing device instability, denial of service, or unauthorized data access. This could disrupt business operations, especially in sectors relying on mobile communications, IoT devices, or embedded systems such as manufacturing, logistics, and critical infrastructure. Confidentiality breaches could occur if the attacker leverages power management manipulation to access sensitive data or bypass security mechanisms. Integrity and availability impacts could manifest as device malfunctions or shutdowns, affecting productivity and operational continuity. Given the widespread use of Android devices in European enterprises and public sectors, this vulnerability poses a risk to endpoint security, particularly in environments where devices are shared or exposed to untrusted applications. The absence of known exploits currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits targeting this vulnerability.

1. Prioritize patching and firmware updates from device manufacturers or Unisoc as soon as they become available, as the vulnerability stems from missing authorization checks in the power management service. 2. Implement strict application whitelisting and privilege management on Android devices to limit installation and execution of untrusted or low-privilege apps that could exploit this vulnerability. 3. Employ Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies, restrict local access, and monitor unusual power management configurations or behaviors. 4. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on local privilege escalation vectors and power management services. 5. For organizations deploying embedded systems with affected chipsets, isolate these devices within segmented networks and restrict physical and logical access to trusted personnel only. 6. Educate users about the risks of installing unverified applications and the importance of device security hygiene to reduce the attack surface. 7. Monitor security advisories from Unisoc and Android vendors for patches or mitigation tools and deploy them promptly. 8. Consider deploying runtime protection or endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying anomalous power management service interactions or privilege escalations.