CVE-2024-11702 - Copying Sensitive Information from Private Browsing Tabs on Android, the Unseen Risk

In a world where privacy concerns are on the rise, many users rely on browsers with Private browsing features to secure their sensitive data from prying eyes. However, what if these same features could accidentally expose your private data to the cloud? The purpose of this post is to draw attention to such a security vulnerability, CVE-2024-11702, which results from copying sensitive information from Private browsing tabs on Android devices. This vulnerability affects Firefox versions earlier than 133 and Thunderbird versions earlier than 133. By exploiting this vulnerability, attackers might gain unauthorized access to private information, such as passwords.

Vulnerability Overview

CVE-2024-11702 lies in the way Firefox and Thunderbird handle clipboard data when a user copies content from a Private browsing tab on Android. While copying this sensitive information may seem innocuous, it might inadvertently lead to storing data in the cloud-based clipboard history if it's enabled.

Here's a sample code snippet that demonstrates the vulnerability

public void copyTextToClipboard(String text) {
  ClipboardManager clipboard = (ClipboardManager)  getSystemService(Context.CLIPBOARD_SERVICE);
  ClipData clip = ClipData.newPlainText("SensitiveInfo", text);
  clipboard.setPrimaryClip(clip);
}

In the above code snippet, clip contains sensitive information, such as a password, which is copied to the clipboard. The problem occurs when the device's cloud-based clipboard history is enabled, allowing this private data to sync with their cloud storage, thus exposing sensitive information to potential attackers.

Original References

- The CVE information from MITRE can be found here
- The NVD information is available at this link
- Mozilla acknowledges the vulnerability in their Security Advisory

Exploit Details

This vulnerability can be exploited by attackers in several ways. For example, attackers may access sensitive data through one or more of the following tactics:

1. Gaining unauthorized access to the victim's cloud storage, where the cloud clipboard history is stored.
2. Compromising the victim's device through malware or other hacking approaches, enabling remote access to the clipboard data.
3. Phishing or social engineering attacks, tricking the victim into revealing their cloud storage credentials.

To prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information, users are encouraged to

- Update their Firefox and Thunderbird installations to the latest versions (Firefox 133+ and Thunderbird 133+).

Turn off cloud-based clipboard history options on Android devices.

- Follow best practices for securing their cloud storage accounts, including using strong, unique passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Conclusion

CVE-2024-11702 highlights the importance of being cautious about our digital footprints, even when we believe we are engaging in secure online activities. Staying apprised of potential vulnerabilities, regularly updating our software, and following best practices for securing our personal data can go a long way toward ensuring our online privacy.

Timeline

Published on: 11/26/2024 14:15:19 UTC
Last modified on: 11/27/2024 16:15:13 UTC