📄 Description (English)
Samsung Mobile Devices Improper Access Control Vulnerability — Samsung mobile devices contain an improper access control vulnerability in clipboard service which allows untrusted applications to read or write arbitrary files. This vulnerability was chained with CVE-2021-25369 and CVE-2021-25370.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2021-25337 is a critical improper access control vulnerability in Samsung mobile device clipboard services that allows untrusted applications to read or write arbitrary files. When chained with related CVEs (CVE-2021-25369 and CVE-2021-25370), this vulnerability enables complete device compromise and data exfiltration. With publicly available exploits and widespread Samsung device adoption across Saudi Arabia, this poses an immediate threat to organizational and personal data security.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Apr 20, 2026 06:38
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
This vulnerability poses severe risk to Saudi banking sector (SAMA-regulated institutions), government agencies (NCA oversight), healthcare organizations (MOH), and energy sector (ARAMCO, SEC). Samsung devices are extensively used by employees in these sectors for business communications, financial transactions, and access to sensitive systems. The clipboard vulnerability enables credential theft, confidential document exfiltration, and lateral movement into corporate networks. Telecom operators (STC, Mobily, Zain) face direct impact as device manufacturers' partners and service providers.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Banking and Financial Services
Government and Public Administration
Healthcare
Energy and Utilities
Telecommunications
Defense and Security
Education
Retail and E-commerce
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
9.2
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS:
1. Identify all Samsung devices in your organization using MDM/EMM solutions
2. Disable untrusted app installations and enforce Google Play Store-only policy
3. Restrict clipboard access permissions for all third-party applications
4. Implement network segmentation to isolate mobile devices from critical systems
5. Monitor clipboard activity and file access logs for suspicious patterns
PATCHING GUIDANCE:
1. Apply Samsung security patches immediately (January 2021 or later security updates)
2. Prioritize devices used by finance, HR, and government liaison personnel
3. Verify patch installation through Samsung Knox security status
4. Test patches in non-production environment before enterprise rollout
COMPENSATING CONTROLS (if patching delayed):
1. Implement application whitelisting on Samsung devices
2. Deploy Mobile Threat Defense (MTD) solutions with clipboard monitoring
3. Enforce mandatory VPN for all mobile device network access
4. Disable clipboard sharing between applications via Knox settings
5. Implement conditional access policies blocking unpatched devices from corporate resources
DETECTION RULES:
1. Monitor for unauthorized clipboard read/write operations in Knox logs
2. Alert on file access from clipboard service to sensitive directories (/data/data, /sdcard)
3. Detect installation of apps with FILE_READ_WRITE_ALL_FILES permissions
4. Flag clipboard data transfers to network interfaces
5. Monitor for chained exploitation attempts (CVE-2021-25369, CVE-2021-25370 indicators)
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تحديد جميع أجهزة Samsung في مؤسستك باستخدام حلول MDM/EMM
2. تعطيل تثبيت التطبيقات غير الموثوقة وفرض سياسة Google Play Store فقط
3. تقييد أذونات الوصول إلى الحافظة لجميع التطبيقات من جهات خارجية
4. تنفيذ تقسيم الشبكة لعزل الأجهزة المحمولة عن الأنظمة الحرجة
5. مراقبة نشاط الحافظة وسجلات الوصول إلى الملفات للأنماط المريبة
إرشادات التصحيح:
1. تطبيق تحديثات أمان Samsung فوراً (تحديثات أمان يناير 2021 أو أحدث)
2. إعطاء الأولوية للأجهزة المستخدمة من قبل موظفي المالية والموارد البشرية والاتصالات الحكومية
3. التحقق من تثبيت التصحيح من خلال حالة أمان Samsung Knox
4. اختبار التصحيحات في بيئة غير الإنتاج قبل النشر على مستوى المؤسسة
الضوابط البديلة (إذا تأخر التصحيح):
1. تنفيذ قائمة بيضاء للتطبيقات على أجهزة Samsung
2. نشر حلول Mobile Threat Defense مع مراقبة الحافظة
3. فرض VPN إلزامي لجميع الوصول إلى شبكة الأجهزة المحمولة
4. تعطيل مشاركة الحافظة بين التطبيقات عبر إعدادات Knox
5. تنفيذ سياسات الوصول الشرطي لحظر الأجهزة غير المصححة من موارد الشركة
قواعد الكشف:
1. مراقبة عمليات قراءة/كتابة الحافظة غير المصرح بها في سجلات Knox
2. تنبيه الوصول إلى الملفات من خدمة الحافظة إلى الدلائل الحساسة
3. كشف تثبيت التطبيقات ذات أذونات FILE_READ_WRITE_ALL_FILES
4. علم نقل بيانات الحافظة إلى واجهات الشبكة
5. مراقبة محاولات الاستغلال المتسلسل
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
5.1.1 - Access Control Policy
5.1.2 - User Registration and De-registration
5.2.1 - User Access Management
5.2.2 - Privileged Access Rights
5.2.3 - Access Rights Review
6.1.1 - Information Security Policies and Procedures
6.2.1 - Mobile Device Management
6.2.2 - Mobile Application Management
🔵 SAMA CSF
ID.AM-2 - Software Inventory
PR.AC-1 - Processes and procedures for access management
PR.AC-4 - Access rights and privileges
DE.CM-1 - Network monitoring
DE.CM-3 - Personnel activity monitoring
RS.MI-1 - Incident response procedures
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
A.5.1.1 - Policies for information security
A.6.1.1 - Information security roles and responsibilities
A.6.2.1 - Mobile device policy
A.6.2.2 - Teleworking and remote user access
A.8.1.1 - User endpoint devices
A.8.2.1 - User access management
A.8.2.2 - Privileged access rights
A.8.2.3 - User access review
🟣 PCI DSS v4.0
1.1 - Firewall configuration standards
2.1 - Default security parameters
6.2 - Security patches and updates
7.1 - Limit access to system components
8.1 - User identification and authentication
10.2 - User access logging
🔗 References & Sources 0
No references.
📦 Affected Products / CPE 1 entries
Samsung:Mobile Devices