CVE-2021-0472

Local privilege escalation via App Pinning bypass

Published Jun 11, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Incorrect authorization in Android 9 through 11 allows local users to exit App Pinning without a PIN or user interaction. The shouldLockKeyguard method queries isSecure with USER_CURRENT instead of the supplied userId, so it evaluates the wrong user's lock state. An attacker needs local low-privileged app access; successful exploitation bypasses the pinning exit gate and gains additional privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect authorization in Android 9 through 11 allows local users to exit App Pinning without a PIN or user interaction. The shouldLockKeyguard method queries isSecure with USER_CURRENT instead of the supplied userId, so it evaluates the wrong user's lock state. An attacker needs local low-privileged app access; successful exploitation bypasses the pinning exit gate and gains additional privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0472
Published
Jun 11, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-863, T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 11, 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=Android-11 Android-9 Android-10

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-11 Android-9 Android-10

Published CVSS scores

4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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 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-863Incorrect Authorization
T1404Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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