CVE-2022-42777 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 (low-level privileges) to configure or manipulate the power management service without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. This missing permission check effectively bypasses intended security controls, enabling an attacker to potentially escalate privileges or disrupt device operations. 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 can impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability to a high degree. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s nature suggests it could be leveraged for privilege escalation or denial-of-service attacks by manipulating power management functions, which are critical for device stability and security. The lack of patch links indicates that official fixes may not yet be publicly available or widely distributed, increasing the urgency for mitigation and monitoring. Given the affected Android versions and chipsets, this vulnerability primarily impacts mobile devices and embedded systems using Unisoc chipsets, which are common in budget and mid-range smartphones, particularly in emerging markets but also present in European markets through various OEMs.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-42777 can be significant, especially for enterprises relying on mobile devices with Unisoc chipsets for business operations, secure communications, or IoT deployments. The vulnerability allows local attackers or malicious applications with limited privileges to escalate their access by manipulating power management services, potentially leading to full device compromise. This can result in unauthorized data access (confidentiality breach), tampering with device operations (integrity breach), and service disruptions or device instability (availability breach). Critical sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies that use Android devices for sensitive operations could face data leakage or operational interruptions. Additionally, the vulnerability could be exploited to bypass security controls, install persistent malware, or disrupt device availability, impacting workforce productivity and trust in mobile device security. Since the vulnerability requires local access, the risk is heightened in environments where devices are shared, or where malicious insiders or compromised applications exist. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers may develop exploits given the public disclosure.

1. Device Inventory and Assessment: Identify all devices within the organization that use Unisoc chipsets listed (SC9863A, SC9832E, SC7731E, T-series, S8000) running Android 10, 11, or 12. 2. Apply Vendor Updates: Monitor Unisoc and device OEM channels for security patches addressing CVE-2022-42777 and apply them promptly once available. 3. Restrict Local Access: Enforce strict device access controls to limit local user privileges and prevent installation of untrusted applications that could exploit the vulnerability. 4. Application Whitelisting: Implement mobile application management (MAM) solutions to restrict installation and execution of unauthorized apps, reducing the risk of local exploitation. 5. Monitor for Anomalies: Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of monitoring unusual power management service behavior or privilege escalations on affected devices. 6. User Awareness: Educate users on risks of installing untrusted apps and the importance of device security hygiene. 7. Network Segmentation: Isolate critical mobile devices from sensitive networks to limit lateral movement if a device is compromised. 8. Incident Response Preparedness: Develop and test response plans for potential device compromise scenarios involving privilege escalation vulnerabilities. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on device-specific inventory, local access restrictions, and monitoring tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.