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Samsung KeyboardApplication · Samsung

CVE-2023-42579

MEDIUM · 5.3 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-12-05
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 5.3.70.1 / 5.4.60.49 or later.
See remediation →
58/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Improper usage of insecure protocol (i.e. HTTP) in SogouSDK of Chinese Samsung Keyboard prior to versions 5.3.70.1 in Android 11, 5.4.60.49, 5.4.85.5, 5.5.00.58 in Android 12, and 5.6.00.52, 5.6.10.42, 5.7.00.45 in Android 13 allows adjacent attackers to access keystroke data using Man-in-the-Middle attack.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

The SogouSDK used by the Chinese Samsung Keyboard application transmits keystroke data over unencrypted HTTP connections instead of secure HTTPS. This allows an attacker positioned on the same network (adjacent attacker) to intercept and read keystroke data through a Man-in-the-Middle attack, exposing user input including potentially sensitive information typed into the keyboard.

MitigationUsers should update the Samsung Keyboard to the patched versions (5.3.70.1 for Android 11, 5.4.60.49/5.4.85.5/5.5.00.58 for Android 12, 5.6.00.52/5.6.10.42/5.7.00.45 for Android 13) to receive the fix that implements secure HTTPS communication.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Samsung KeyboardApplication
Affected:< 5.3.70.1>= 5.4.60.0, < 5.4.60.49>= 5.4.85.0, < 5.4.85.5>= 5.5.00.0, < 5.5.00.58>= 5.6.00.0, < 5.6.00.52>= 5.6.10.0, < 5.6.10.42>= 5.7.00.0, < 5.7.00.45

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Adjacent
Complexity
High
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Locate Samsung Keyboard app version
    Open device Settings > Apps > Samsung Keyboard (or Samsung Keyboard), then view the Version or App info to find the installed version number
    Affected if version cannot be determined or app is not found on the device
  2. Compare installed version against Android 11 affected range
    Check if the installed version is less than 5.3.70.1 for Android 11 devices. Note the Android version of the device first.
    Affected if installed version is below 5.3.70.1 on an Android 11 device
  3. Compare installed version against Android 12 affected ranges
    Check if installed version is >= 5.4.60.0 and < 5.4.60.49, OR >= 5.4.85.0 and < 5.4.85.5, OR >= 5.5.00.0 and < 5.5.00.58 on Android 12 devices
    Affected if installed version falls within any of the Android 12 vulnerable ranges (5.4.60.0-5.4.60.48, 5.4.85.0-5.4.85.4, or 5.5.00.0-5.5.00.57)
  4. Compare installed version against Android 13 affected ranges
    Check if installed version is >= 5.6.00.0 and < 5.6.00.52, OR >= 5.6.10.0 and < 5.6.10.42, OR >= 5.7.00.0 and < 5.7.00.45 on Android 13 devices
    Affected if installed version falls within any of the Android 13 vulnerable ranges (5.6.00.0-5.6.00.51, 5.6.10.0-5.6.10.41, or 5.7.00.0-5.7.00.44)

If the Samsung Keyboard version matches any of the listed vulnerable ranges for the Android version in use, the device is affected by this unencrypted HTTP keystroke transmission vulnerability.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Upgrade available Upgrade to 5.3.70.1 / 5.4.60.49 / 5.4.85.5 or later
Fixed in 5.3.70.15.4.60.495.4.85.5
Interim mitigation

Users should update the Samsung Keyboard to the patched versions (5.3.70.1 for Android 11, 5.4.60.49/5.4.85.5/5.5.00.58 for Android 12, 5.6.00.52/5.6.10.42/5.7.00.45 for Android 13) to receive the fix that implements secure HTTPS communication.

Recommended fix High confidence

Upgrade Samsung Keyboard to: 5.3.70.1+ (Android 11), 5.4.60.49+ / 5.4.85.5+ / 5.5.00.58+ (Android 12), or 5.6.00.52+ / 5.6.10.42+ / 5.7.00.45+ (Android 13)

  1. 1. Identify the Android version running on the Samsung device (Android 11, 12, or 13)
  2. 2. Update Samsung Keyboard to version 5.3.70.1 or later for Android 11
  3. 3. Update Samsung Keyboard to version 5.4.60.49 or later for Android 12 (if currently on 5.4.60.x branch)
  4. 4. Update Samsung Keyboard to version 5.4.85.5 or later for Android 12 (if currently on 5.4.85.x branch)
  5. 5. Update Samsung Keyboard to version 5.5.00.58 or later for Android 12 (if currently on 5.5.00.x branch)
  6. 6. Update Samsung Keyboard to version 5.6.00.52 or later for Android 13 (if currently on 5.6.00.x branch)
  7. 7. Update Samsung Keyboard to version 5.6.10.42 or later for Android 13 (if currently on 5.6.10.x branch)
  8. 8. Update Samsung Keyboard to version 5.7.00.45 or later for Android 13 (if currently on 5.7.00.x branch)
Caveat Standard keyboard update; no significant breaking changes expected for security patch

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Samsung Keyboard Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,440
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-42579 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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