Flaw in Skype for Android exposes photos and contacts

A security expert found a flaw in Skype for Android that could be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker to view photos and contacts, and even open links in the browser.

Security expert Florian Kunushevci (19) discovered a vulnerability that allows an unauthenticated local attacker to view photos and contacts, and also to open links in the browser.

Next, the attacker would need to receive a Skype call and answer it to gather access to user data even if the device is locked.

“Skype Android Authentication Bypass

-> View pictures & albums at the victim phone

-> View Contacts inside the phone (Numbers + Names)

-> Access Browser

A new vulnerability that I found on Skype has been fixed that affected millions of android devices around the world that uses Skype. Thew new update you will find from 23 December 2018. ” wrote the expert.

The flaw was discovered by the expert in October that reported it to Microsoft. Microsoft addressed the flaw by releasing a new version of Skype on December 23.

A locked device should not allow a user to access to photos and contacts without authentication.

The expert discovered that a code error in Skype for Android that allows an unauthenticated attacker with physical access to the device to view contacts, photos, and also send messages.

The flaw also allows launching the browser on the Android device, the attacker only needs to send a Skype message containing a link and then click the link.

The flaw seems to affect all Android devices running a vulnerable Skype version.

Below a video PoC of the flaw that shows how to bypass the lockscreen:

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – Skype, hacking)

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Pierluigi Paganini

Pierluigi Paganini is member of the ENISA (European Union Agency for Network and Information Security) Threat Landscape Stakeholder Group and Cyber G7 Group, he is also a Security Evangelist, Security Analyst and Freelance Writer. Editor-in-Chief at "Cyber Defense Magazine", Pierluigi is a cyber security expert with over 20 years experience in the field, he is Certified Ethical Hacker at EC Council in London. The passion for writing and a strong belief that security is founded on sharing and awareness led Pierluigi to find the security blog "Security Affairs" recently named a Top National Security Resource for US. Pierluigi is a member of the "The Hacker News" team and he is a writer for some major publications in the field such as Cyber War Zone, ICTTF, Infosec Island, Infosec Institute, The Hacker News Magazine and for many other Security magazines. Author of the Books "The Deep Dark Web" and “Digital Virtual Currency and Bitcoin”.