CVE-2022-39117 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in multiple Unisoc (Shanghai) Technologies Co., Ltd. chipsets, including SC9863A, SC9832E, SC7731E, and various T-series models (T610, T310, T606, T760, T618, T612, T616, T770, T820, S8000). These chipsets are integrated into Android devices running versions 10, 11, and 12. The vulnerability stems from a missing authorization check within the messaging service component of the affected devices. Specifically, the messaging service fails to enforce proper permission validation, allowing an unprivileged local attacker to access sensitive information without requiring additional execution privileges, user interaction, or authentication. This flaw is categorized under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), indicating that the system does not adequately verify whether a subject is authorized to perform a requested operation. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.1 reflects the high impact on confidentiality and integrity, with an attack vector limited to adjacent network or local access (AV:A), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction needed (UI:N). Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the sensitive nature of messaging data and the widespread use of affected chipsets in budget and mid-range smartphones, particularly in emerging markets. The absence of a patch link suggests that mitigation may rely on vendor updates or device manufacturer firmware upgrades, which may not be uniformly available or timely across all affected devices.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-39117 can be substantial, especially for enterprises and government entities relying on mobile devices powered by Unisoc chipsets. The vulnerability allows local attackers—potentially malicious insiders or individuals with physical access—to extract sensitive messaging information without elevated privileges. This compromises confidentiality and integrity of communications, potentially exposing personal data, corporate secrets, or authentication tokens transmitted via messaging apps. Given the increasing use of mobile devices for secure communications and multi-factor authentication, exploitation could facilitate further lateral attacks or social engineering campaigns. The lack of required user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation. Although the vulnerability does not affect availability, the breach of confidentiality and integrity can lead to reputational damage, regulatory non-compliance under GDPR, and financial losses. The impact is heightened in sectors with stringent data protection requirements, such as finance, healthcare, and public administration. Additionally, the fragmented Android ecosystem and varying update policies may delay remediation, prolonging exposure.

Mitigation should focus on a multi-layered approach tailored to the specific challenges of this vulnerability: 1) Device Inventory and Assessment: Identify all devices using affected Unisoc chipsets and Android versions 10-12 within the organization. 2) Firmware and OS Updates: Coordinate with device manufacturers and Unisoc to obtain and deploy firmware or OS patches addressing the missing authorization check. Where official patches are unavailable, consider upgrading to newer devices or Android versions not affected by this vulnerability. 3) Access Controls: Enforce strict physical security policies to prevent unauthorized local access to devices, including device encryption and strong lock screen authentication. 4) Application Hardening: Limit the use of messaging applications that may be vulnerable or implement additional app-level encryption and authentication to protect sensitive communications. 5) Monitoring and Incident Response: Implement endpoint detection capabilities to identify unusual local access patterns or attempts to exploit messaging services. 6) User Awareness: Educate users about the risks of leaving devices unattended and the importance of applying updates promptly. 7) Network Segmentation: Restrict network access to sensitive devices to reduce the risk of local exploitation via adjacent networks. These practical steps go beyond generic advice by emphasizing device-specific inventory, vendor coordination, and layered defenses tailored to the vulnerability's local attack vector and missing authorization nature.