CVE-2021-0506

Local privilege escalation via ActivityPicker overlay

Published Jun 21, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Tapjacking in Android 8.1 through 11 allows local users to gain privileges through a deceptive overlay on the activity picker. ActivityPicker.onCreate fails to set PRIVATE_FLAG_HIDE_NON_SYSTEM_OVERLAY_WINDOWS, allowing a non-system window to obscure its intent-resolution interface. A malicious local app and user interaction are required; the concealed interface can induce an unintended privilege-bearing selection.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Tapjacking in Android 8.1 through 11 allows local users to gain privileges through a deceptive overlay on the activity picker. ActivityPicker.onCreate fails to set PRIVATE_FLAG_HIDE_NON_SYSTEM_OVERLAY_WINDOWS, allowing a non-system window to obscure its intent-resolution interface. A malicious local app and user interaction are required; the concealed interface can induce an unintended privilege-bearing selection.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0506
Published
Jun 21, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-1021, CAPEC-506
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

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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-10 Android-11 Android-8.1 Android-9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-10 Android-11 Android-8.1 Android-9

Published CVSS scores

7.3NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.9NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:L/AC:M/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-1021Improper Restriction of Rendered UI Layers or Frames
CAPEC-506Tapjacking

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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