CVE-2021-0505

Local VPN enforcement bypass via missing admin check

Published Jun 21, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Missing authorization in Android 11 Settings allows local users to disable an administrator-configured always-on VPN. AppPreference leaves the VPN preference enabled, and AppDialogFragment permits disconnection without checking whether device policy configured the VPN. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access but no victim interaction, and it disables the enforced tunnel rather than granting general administrative control.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.11%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Missing authorization in Android 11 Settings allows local users to disable an administrator-configured always-on VPN. AppPreference leaves the VPN preference enabled, and AppDialogFragment permits disconnection without checking whether device policy configured the VPN. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access but no victim interaction, and it disables the enforced tunnel rather than granting general administrative control.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0505
Published
Jun 21, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-862, T1629.003
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 21, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=Android-11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-11

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV: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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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-862Missing Authorization
T1629.003Impair Defenses: Disable or Modify Tools

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo