CVE-2021-0454

Local privilege escalation via unchecked firmware write

Published Mar 10, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Out-of-bounds write in Google Titan M firmware allows local users with System privileges to escalate privilege without interaction. The Citadel firmware omits a bounds check before a memory write; the cited Android issue is nonpublic, so the exact function and input are undisclosed. Exploitation requires local code already running with Android System privileges; successful memory corruption elevates that code's privileges.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.13%
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 Google Titan M firmware allows local users with System privileges to escalate privilege without interaction. The Citadel firmware omits a bounds check before a memory write; the cited Android issue is nonpublic, so the exact function and input are undisclosed. Exploitation requires local code already running with Android System privileges; successful memory corruption elevates that code's privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0454
Published
Mar 10, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google
Product
Titan M
Classifications
CWE-787, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 10, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=Android kernel

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Google · Titan Mversion=Android kernel

Published CVSS scores

6.7NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1068Exploitation 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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