CWE-926 Detail

CWE-926

Improper Export of Android Application Components
Incomplete
2013-07-17
00h00 +00:00
2025-12-11
00h00 +00:00
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Name: Improper Export of Android Application Components

The Android application exports a component for use by other applications, but does not properly restrict which applications can launch the component or access the data it contains.

General Informations

Background Details

Modes Of Introduction

Architecture and Design

Applicable Platforms

Language

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined)

Technologies

Class: Mobile (Undetermined)

Common Consequences

Scope Impact Likelihood
Availability
Integrity		Unexpected State, DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart, DoS: Instability, Varies by Context

Note: Other applications, possibly untrusted, can launch the Activity.
Availability
Integrity		Unexpected State, Gain Privileges or Assume Identity, DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart, DoS: Instability, Varies by Context

Note: Other applications, possibly untrusted, can bind to the Service.
Confidentiality
Integrity		Read Application Data, Modify Application Data

Note: Other applications, possibly untrusted, can read or modify the data that is offered by the Content Provider.

Potential Mitigations

Phases : Build and Compilation
If they do not need to be shared by other applications, explicitly mark components with android:exported="false" in the application manifest.
Phases : Build and Compilation
If you only intend to use exported components between related apps under your control, use android:protectionLevel="signature" in the xml manifest to restrict access to applications signed by you.
Phases : Build and Compilation // Architecture and Design
Limit Content Provider permissions (read/write) as appropriate.
Phases : Build and Compilation // Architecture and Design
Limit Content Provider permissions (read/write) as appropriate.

Detection Methods

Automated Static Analysis

Automated static analysis, commonly referred to as Static Application Security Testing (SAST), can find some instances of this weakness by analyzing source code (or binary/compiled code) without having to execute it. Typically, this is done by building a model of data flow and control flow, then searching for potentially-vulnerable patterns that connect "sources" (origins of input) with "sinks" (destinations where the data interacts with external components, a lower layer such as the OS, etc.)
Effectiveness : High

Vulnerability Mapping Notes

Justification : This CWE entry is at the Variant level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.
Comment : Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.

References

REF-923

Security Tips
Android Open Source Project.
https://developer.android.com/training/articles/security-tips#ContentProviders

Submission

Name Organization Date Date release Version
CWE Content Team MITRE 2013-07-02 +00:00 2013-07-17 +00:00 2.5

Modifications

Name Organization Date Comment
CWE Content Team MITRE 2014-01-22 +00:00 Expanded entry to be more general and include all types of Android components that may be improperly exported.
CWE Content Team MITRE 2014-02-18 +00:00 updated Background_Details, Common_Consequences, Demonstrative_Examples, Description, Maintenance_Notes, Name, Potential_Mitigations, References
CWE Content Team MITRE 2017-11-08 +00:00 updated References
CWE Content Team MITRE 2020-02-24 +00:00 updated Applicable_Platforms, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2022-10-13 +00:00 updated Background_Details
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-04-27 +00:00 updated Detection_Factors, References, Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-06-29 +00:00 updated Mapping_Notes
CWE Content Team MITRE 2025-12-11 +00:00 updated Relationships, Weakness_Ordinalities
The information presented on CVE Find originates from several carefully selected reference sources. CVE data is provided by MITRE Corporation and the National Vulnerability Database (NVD). The Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog is sourced from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), while EPSS scores come from FIRST.org. Additionally, data regarding software weaknesses (CWE) and common attack patterns (CAPEC) is maintained by MITRE Corporation, and information on hardware and software configurations (CPE) is provided by the NVD.