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.

Prepojené úlohy

Prepojenia
Typ prepojenia	Úloha
is related to	MASTG-BEST-0049 Restrict and Validate Access to Exported Content Providers (Android)

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