CVE-2021-0457

Kernel code execution via unchecked heap copy

Published Mar 10, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Heap buffer overflow in Android kernel's FingerTipS touch-screen driver allows local users to execute arbitrary code in the kernel. The fts_driver_test_write function copies a user-controlled length into a fixed-length heap buffer without validating that the input fits. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution on an affected device, needs no user interaction, and yields kernel-context execution.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.22%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap buffer overflow in Android kernel's FingerTipS touch-screen driver allows local users to execute arbitrary code in the kernel. The fts_driver_test_write function copies a user-controlled length into a fixed-length heap buffer without validating that the input fits. Exploitation requires prior low-privileged code execution on an affected device, needs no user interaction, and yields kernel-context execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0457
Published
Mar 10, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-787, T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

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 privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android kernel

Published CVSS scores

4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8Trend Micro Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 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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