CVE-2022-39896 is an improper access control vulnerability (CWE-284) affecting Samsung Mobile Devices running Android versions Q (10), R (11), and S (12) prior to the December 2022 Security Maintenance Release (SMR) 1. The vulnerability resides in the Contacts application, where improper handling of implicit intents allows unauthorized access to sensitive contact information. Implicit intents in Android are messaging objects used to request an action from another app component without specifying the target component explicitly. Due to insufficient access control checks, malicious applications or actors can exploit this flaw to retrieve sensitive contact data without proper authorization. This can lead to unauthorized disclosure of personally identifiable information (PII) such as phone numbers, email addresses, and other contact details stored on the device. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a privacy risk, especially since contacts often contain sensitive personal and business information. The issue was identified and reserved in September 2022 and publicly disclosed in December 2022. Samsung has addressed this vulnerability in the December 2022 SMR 1 update, but devices not updated remain vulnerable. The lack of a CVSS score suggests the need for an independent severity assessment based on the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, ease of exploitation, and scope of affected systems.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized exposure of sensitive contact information stored on employees' Samsung mobile devices. This exposure risks violating data protection regulations such as the GDPR, potentially resulting in legal penalties and reputational damage. Attackers exploiting this flaw could harvest contact details of business partners, clients, or internal personnel, facilitating targeted phishing, social engineering, or further intrusion attempts. The impact is primarily on confidentiality, as the vulnerability does not directly affect data integrity or device availability. However, the breach of contact data could indirectly lead to broader security incidents. Organizations with a high reliance on Samsung mobile devices, especially in sectors handling sensitive or regulated data (e.g., finance, healthcare, government), face increased risk. The vulnerability's exploitation requires no user authentication but may require the installation or presence of a malicious app capable of sending crafted implicit intents, which is a moderate barrier but feasible in many threat scenarios.

1. Immediate deployment of the December 2022 SMR 1 security update from Samsung on all affected devices to remediate the vulnerability. 2. Implement mobile device management (MDM) policies to enforce timely OS and security patch updates across the organization’s Samsung mobile fleet. 3. Restrict installation of untrusted or third-party applications by enforcing app whitelisting or using enterprise app stores to reduce the risk of malicious apps exploiting implicit intents. 4. Monitor application behavior on devices for unusual intent requests or data access patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Educate employees on the risks of installing unverified applications and encourage reporting of suspicious device behavior. 6. For highly sensitive environments, consider restricting the use of vulnerable Samsung devices until patched or employing additional endpoint protection solutions that can detect and block unauthorized inter-app communications. 7. Conduct regular audits of mobile device configurations and permissions to ensure compliance with security policies.