# What is CVE-2018-16271?

> CVE-2018-16271 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.5) in Galaxy Gear from Samsung, published on 22 January 2020. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 0.8%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Canonical page: https://www.precursorintelligence.com/what-is/cve-2018-16271

## At a glance

- **Verdict:** Plan it in. No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.
- **Precursor Intelligence risk score:** 46 out of 100 (Medium); action: Plan remediation. Kept up to date as the evidence changes.
- **Severity:** Medium (CVSS 6.5 out of 10)
- **Known to be exploited:** No, not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today
- **Chance of use in the next 30 days:** 0.8% (latest exploit-likelihood forecast)
- **Published:** 22 January 2020
- **Record last updated:** 30 January 2020
- **Main product:** Galaxy Gear from Samsung
- **Affected products:** 20

## What is CVE-2018-16271? In plain terms

An attacker has to be on the same local network without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can change data.

### The official description

The wemail_consumer_service (from the built-in application wemail) in Samsung Galaxy Gear series allows an unprivileged process to manipulate a user's mailbox, due to improper D-Bus security policy configurations. An arbitrary email can also be sent from the mailbox via the paired smartphone. This affects Tizen-based firmwares including Samsung Galaxy Gear series before build RE2.

### What kind of flaw is it?

- CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management

### How an attack on it works

- Where an attacker can be: On the same local network
- How hard it is to pull off: Easy: no special conditions
- Login needed first: No login needed
- Does someone have to click: No, nobody has to do anything
- What an attacker gets: Can change data

Severity vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`

## Is CVE-2018-16271 being exploited? Not that we know of

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.8%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Exploit likelihood over the last 7 days: 0.8%, 0.8%, 0.8%, 0.8%, 0.8%, 0.8%, 0.8%.

### Timeline

- 22 January 2020: Published
- 30 January 2020: Record last updated

### How Precursor Intelligence ranks it

CVE-2018-16271 scores **46 out of 100 (Medium)**, with the action "Plan remediation".

Every published flaw gets a risk score from 0 to 100, kept up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, from the one that counts most to the ones that count less:

- Evidence it is being exploited: biggest factor
- How severe it is: strong factor
- How widely exposed it is: smaller factor
- Threat activity around it: smaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score. When this flaw matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

## Who is affected by CVE-2018-16271?

The published record lists 20 products. Versions are as published: "before re2" means every version up to, but not including, re2.

- [Galaxy Gear](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/galaxy_gear) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Galaxy Gear Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/galaxy_gear_firmware) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Operating system): before re2
- [Gear 2](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_2) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Gear 2 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_2_firmware) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Operating system): before re2
- [Gear Fit](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_fit) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Gear Fit 2](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_fit_2) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Gear Fit 2 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_fit_2_firmware) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Operating system): before re2
- [Gear Fit 2 Pro](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_fit_2_pro) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Gear Fit 2 Pro Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_fit_2_pro_firmware) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Operating system): before re2
- [Gear Fit Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_fit_firmware) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Operating system): before re2
- [Gear Live](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_live) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Gear Live Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_live_firmware) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Operating system): before re2
- [Gear S](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_s) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Gear S Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_s_firmware) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Operating system): before re2
- [Gear S2](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_s2) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Gear S2 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_s2_firmware) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Operating system): before re2
- [Gear S3](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_s3) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Gear S3 Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_s3_firmware) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Operating system): before re2
- [Gear Sport](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_sport) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Hardware): version not specified
- [Gear Sport Firmware](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/product/samsung/gear_sport_firmware) by [Samsung](https://www.precursorintelligence.com/vendors/samsung) (Operating system): before re2

## How do I fix CVE-2018-16271?

1. **Check whether you run it.** Compare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
2. **Apply the vendor’s fix.** Install the latest update from the vendor. The references list where the vendor has published details.
3. **If you can’t patch today.** Follow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
4. **Keep an eye on it.** Track the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

### References

- [media.defcon.org](https://media.defcon.org/DEF%20CON%2026/DEF%20CON%2026%20presentations/Dongsung%20Kim%20and%20Hyoung%20Kee%20Choi%20-%20Updated/DEFCON-26-Dongsung-Kim-and-Hyoung-Kee-Choi-Your-Watch-Can-Watch-You-Updated.pdf) (Exploit, Third-party advisory)
- [youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IdgBwbOT-g&feature=youtu.be) (Exploit, Third-party advisory)

## Questions

### What is CVE-2018-16271?

CVE-2018-16271 is a medium-severity flaw in Galaxy Gear from Samsung, published on 22 January 2020. An attacker has to be on the same local network without logging in, and nobody has to click anything. If it works, the attacker can change data.

### How serious is CVE-2018-16271?

It scores 6.5 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is medium. Our risk score for CVE-2018-16271 is 46 out of 100, which is Medium. Its action is "Plan remediation". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.

### Is CVE-2018-16271 being exploited?

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 0.8%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

### Which versions does CVE-2018-16271 affect?

For Galaxy Gear from Samsung: version not specified. The record lists 20 products in all, each with its versions, under "Who is affected" on this page.

### How do I fix CVE-2018-16271?

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

## Does CVE-2018-16271 affect you?

Precursor Intelligence keeps checking for you:

- **Tell us what you run.** Pick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
- **We match it to every flaw.** Over 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
- **Ranked by real-world risk.** Every flaw gets a 0 to 100 risk score, kept up to date, led by evidence criminals are using it.
- **Told as soon as we know.** An alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.

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