Some low-end smartphones are vulnerable to hacking due to a number of modem flaws and other chip-related issues that put Android users at risk. According to a recent study, Check Point Research, a cybersecurity research firm, has discovered a vulnerability in the Unisoc modem that could affect communications.
For the time being, users should not be concerned as Check Point Research notified the Unisoc teams as early as last month (May 2022) and informed them of its findings. Unisoc reviewed the results and fixed the vulnerability with a critical score of 9.4. Google has announced that a fix will be released in the next Android Security Bulletin, so users are advised to stay up to date at all times. Let’s take a closer look at the vulnerability and everything we know so far.
How can this flaw affect your phone?
Check Point Research reverse-engineered the implementation of the LTE protocol stack and discovered a vulnerability that could be exploited to deny modem service and potentially limit communication by an attacker from afar.
The vulnerability was found on the Motorola Moto G20 (XT2128-2) with the January 2022 update (RTAS31.68.29) installed, although it exists on other phones as well. Moto G20 is equipped with Unisoc T700 chip.
Using this vulnerability, a corrupted packet could be used to interrupt a device’s radio transmission. An attacker or even a military unit could use this vulnerability to disable communications on targeted devices.
There is nothing Android users can do right now, but keep your phones up to date with the latest Android security patches. Please note that a fix for this vulnerability has not yet been released. It is said that it will appear to users with the next Android security update.
It is noteworthy that this is not the first time a vulnerability has been discovered in Unisoc chipsets. A malicious application downloaded by the owner of the phone, or an application installed by the phone manufacturer or wireless carrier before the phone reaches the user, may have taken control of the phone by issuing certain commands to the Unisoc application in the past.
Unisoc makes chipsets that operate on 2/3/4/5G networks and power everything from smartphones to smart TVs. The company’s chipsets are extremely popular in Africa and Asia and can be found in popular smartphones including the Nokia G21, Micromax In 2C and Narzo 50A Prime. Unisoc was once reported to be the world’s fourth largest smartphone chip maker with an 11 percent global market share.