CVE-2021-0546

Local privilege escalation via unchecked NFC response copy

Published Jun 22, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Out-of-bounds write in Android 11's NXP NFC HAL allows local users with System privileges to elevate privileges without interaction. phNxpNciHal_print_res_status copies received NFC response bytes into fixed phNxpNciRfSet.p_rx_data storage without first limiting the copy length. Exploitation requires System execution privileges and no user interaction, and the resulting overwrite permits local privilege escalation on the device.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.12%
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 Android 11's NXP NFC HAL allows local users with System privileges to elevate privileges without interaction. phNxpNciHal_print_res_status copies received NFC response bytes into fixed phNxpNciRfSet.p_rx_data storage without first limiting the copy length. Exploitation requires System execution privileges and no user interaction, and the resulting overwrite permits local privilege escalation on the device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0546
Published
Jun 22, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-787, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 22, 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-11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-11

Published CVSS scores

4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 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.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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