The threat actors carry out the operation particularly when the password manager is trying to autofill login credentials.
In a presentation at the Black Hat Europe security conference, the researchers revealed that the majority of Android password managers are susceptible to AutoSpill even in the absence of JavaScript injection.
How AutoSpill Works
WebView is frequently used in Android apps to render web content, which includes login pages, within the app, rather than redirecting users to the main browser, which would be more challenging on small-screen devices.
Android password managers automatically enter a user's account information when an app loads the login page for services like Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, or Google by utilizing the WebView component of the platform.
According to the researchers, it is possible to exploit vulnerabilities in this process to obtain the auto-filled credentials on the app that is being invoked.
The researchers added that the password managers on Androids will be more vulnerable to the attack if the JavaScript injections are enabled.
One of the main causes of the issue regarding AutoSpill is Android’s inability to specify who is responsible for handling the auto-filled data securely, which leaves the data vulnerable to leakage or capture by the host app.
In an attack scenario, the user's credentials could be obtained by a rogue app presenting a login form without leaving any trace of the breach.
Impact and Patch Work
Using Android's autofill framework, the researchers tested AutoSpill against a number of password managers on Android 10, 11, and 12. They discovered that 1Password 7.9.4, LastPass 5.11.0.9519, Enpass 6.8.2.666, Keeper 16.4.3.1048, and Keepass2Android 1.09c-r0 are vulnerable to assaults.
It was found that Google Smart Lock 13.30.8.26 and DashLane 6.2221.3 had different technical approaches for the autofill process, wherein they did not compromise data to the host app unless JavaScript injection was used.
The researchers submitted their recommendations for fixing the issue along with their results to the security team of Android and the affected software manufacturers. Their report was accepted as legitimate, however, no information regarding the plans for rectifying it was disclosed.