CVE-2018-9372

Local privilege escalation via sparse image write

Published Nov 19, 2024 · Updated Nov 21, 2024

Out-of-bounds write in the MediaTek bootloader in Google Cloud Android allows local users to escalate privileges via a sparse MMC image. The cmd_flash_mmc_sparse_img function in dl_commands.c writes image data beyond its destination because it omits a required bounds check. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access but no user interaction and can corrupt bootloader memory to obtain elevated privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.09%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in the MediaTek bootloader in Google Cloud Android allows local users to escalate privileges via a sparse MMC image. The cmd_flash_mmc_sparse_img function in dl_commands.c writes image data beyond its destination because it omits a required bounds check. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access but no user interaction and can corrupt bootloader memory to obtain elevated privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2018-9372
Published
Nov 19, 2024
Updated
Nov 21, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-787, T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 19, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 21, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=SoCVersion

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=SoCVersion

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1404Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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