MASTG-TEST-0356 Runtime Verification of Unauthorized Database Access through Content Providers (Android)

Platform: Android
Weakness: MASWE-0018
Weakness in the numbering of the MASWE beta: MASWE-0064
Profiles: L1 (basic security), L2 (advanced security)
Type: dynamic, filesystem, manual
Knowledge: MASTG-KNOW-0020, MASTG-KNOW-0117
Best practices: MASTG-BEST-0049

Overview

If an app exports a content provider without requiring permissions, any app on the device can directly query its underlying database using ContentResolver or using the adb shell content command. Even when a permission is declared, a misconfigured protection level (for example, android:protectionLevel="normal") allows any requesting app to obtain it automatically, effectively bypassing the restriction. This test verifies at runtime whether the app's exported content providers are accessible without the required permissions.

Steps

Use MASTG-TECH-0005 to install the app.
Exercise the app extensively to trigger as many flows as possible and enter sensitive data wherever you can.
Use MASTG-TECH-0148 to query the app's exported content providers.

Observation

The output should contain the content of the database that is available through the content provider.

Evaluation

The test case fails if sensitive data can be accessed through content providers.

Further Validation Required:

Inspect the content of each row returned by the query to determine whether the data is sensitive:

Determine whether the records contain sensitive information (e.g., personal data, credentials, tokens, or health data).
Determine whether the accessible data represents a security risk given the app's data classification.

Incidencias vinculadas

Vínculos
Tipo de vínculo	Incidencia
is related to	MASTG-BEST-0049 Restrict and Validate Access to Exported Content Providers (Android)

OWASP -
EN: Publications of the OWASP Foundation, https://owasp.org/. OWASP® is a registered trademark of the OWASP Foundation, Inc.; GRCA is not affiliated with, nor endorsed by, the OWASP Foundation. Only the versions published by OWASP are authoritative.
- OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) 5.0.0, May 2025, from OWASP/ASVS: © 2008-2025 The OWASP Foundation, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: divided into sections and converted into the GRCA format, the wording unchanged. These adaptations are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0 as well.
- OWASP Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS) v2.1.0, January 2024, from OWASP/masvs: © The OWASP Foundation, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: converted into the GRCA format, the wording unchanged. These adaptations are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0 as well.
- OWASP Mobile Application Security Weakness Enumeration (MASWE) v1.0.0, August 2026, from OWASP/maswe: © The OWASP Foundation, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: converted into the GRCA format, the wording unchanged, linked to the MASVS controls they map to. These adaptations are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0 as well.
- OWASP Mobile Application Security Testing Guide (MASTG) v2.0.0, June 2026, from OWASP/mastg: © The OWASP Foundation, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. The tests and best practices only, without code samples, images, tools or apps. Changes: converted into the GRCA format, the wording unchanged; references to other pages of the MASTG as links to mas.owasp.org; the weakness of each test in the numbering of MASWE v1 and linked to it. These adaptations are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0 as well.
- OWASP Software Assurance Maturity Model (SAMM) v2.2.0, July 2026, from owaspsamm/core: © The OWASP Foundation, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: converted into the GRCA format, the wording unchanged; short codes (G-SM-1-A) built from the model, the assessment questions as assessment procedures of their activities. These adaptations are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0 as well.
- OWASP Top 10:2025, from OWASP/Top10: © 2003-2025 The OWASP® Foundation, Inc., licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. The ten categories, without the icons. Changes: converted into the GRCA format, the wording unchanged. These adaptations are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0 as well. The names of the mapped CWEs (Common Weakness Enumeration): © 2006–2026 The MITRE Corporation. License: The MITRE Corporation hereby grants you a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use CWE for research, development, and commercial purposes. Any copy you make for such purposes is authorized on the condition that you reproduce MITRE’s copyright designation and this license in any such copy. See the CWE Terms of Use. CWE™ is a trademark of The MITRE Corporation.
DE: Veröffentlichungen der OWASP Foundation, https://owasp.org/. OWASP® ist eine eingetragene Marke der OWASP Foundation, Inc.; GRCA steht in keiner Verbindung zur OWASP Foundation und wird von ihr nicht unterstützt. Maßgeblich sind allein die von OWASP veröffentlichten Fassungen.
- OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS) 5.0.0, Mai 2025, aus OWASP/ASVS: © 2008-2025 The OWASP Foundation, lizenziert unter CC BY-SA 4.0. Änderungen: in Abschnitte aufgeteilt und in das GRCA-Format umgewandelt, der Wortlaut unverändert. Diese Bearbeitungen stehen ebenfalls unter CC BY-SA 4.0.
- OWASP Mobile Application Security Verification Standard (MASVS) v2.1.0, Januar 2024, aus OWASP/masvs: © The OWASP Foundation, lizenziert unter CC BY-SA 4.0. Änderungen: in das GRCA-Format umgewandelt, der Wortlaut unverändert. Diese Bearbeitungen stehen ebenfalls unter CC BY-SA 4.0.
- OWASP Mobile Application Security Weakness Enumeration (MASWE) v1.0.0, August 2026, aus OWASP/maswe: © The OWASP Foundation, lizenziert unter CC BY-SA 4.0. Änderungen: in das GRCA-Format umgewandelt, der Wortlaut unverändert, mit den MASVS-Controls verknüpft, denen sie zugeordnet sind. Diese Bearbeitungen stehen ebenfalls unter CC BY-SA 4.0.
- OWASP Mobile Application Security Testing Guide (MASTG) v2.0.0, Juni 2026, aus OWASP/mastg: © The OWASP Foundation, lizenziert unter CC BY-SA 4.0. Nur die Tests und Best Practices, ohne Codebeispiele, Bilder, Werkzeuge und Apps. Änderungen: in das GRCA-Format umgewandelt, der Wortlaut unverändert; Verweise auf andere Seiten des MASTG als Links zu mas.owasp.org; die Schwachstelle jedes Tests in der Nummerierung der MASWE v1 und mit ihr verknüpft. Diese Bearbeitungen stehen ebenfalls unter CC BY-SA 4.0.
- OWASP Software Assurance Maturity Model (SAMM) v2.2.0, Juli 2026, aus owaspsamm/core: © The OWASP Foundation, lizenziert unter CC BY-SA 4.0. Änderungen: in das GRCA-Format umgewandelt, der Wortlaut unverändert; Kürzel (G-SM-1-A) aus dem Modell gebildet, die Assessment-Fragen als Prüfverfahren ihrer Aktivitäten. Diese Bearbeitungen stehen ebenfalls unter CC BY-SA 4.0.
- OWASP Top 10:2025, aus OWASP/Top10: © 2003-2025 The OWASP® Foundation, Inc., lizenziert unter CC BY-SA 4.0. Die zehn Kategorien, ohne die Symbole. Änderungen: in das GRCA-Format umgewandelt, der Wortlaut unverändert. Diese Bearbeitungen stehen ebenfalls unter CC BY-SA 4.0. Die Namen der zugeordneten CWEs (Common Weakness Enumeration): © 2006–2026 The MITRE Corporation. MITRE erlaubt die Nutzung für Forschung, Entwicklung und kommerzielle Zwecke, wenn jede Kopie den Urheberrechtsvermerk und die Lizenz enthält; maßgeblich ist der englische Wortlaut der Lizenz oben und die CWE Terms of Use. CWE™ ist eine Marke der MITRE Corporation.