CVE-2021-0959Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via writable JIT mappings

Published Jan 14, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Privilege escalation in Google Android 12 allows local users to gain additional permissions by bypassing JIT memory restrictions. JitMemoryRegion::Initialize created zygote code-cache mappings in an order that left shared executable pages able to become writable, enabling app-supplied code injection. Exploitation requires local application execution but no user interaction; successful injection crosses the application permission boundary.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Google Android 12 allows local users to gain additional permissions by bypassing JIT memory restrictions. JitMemoryRegion::Initialize created zygote code-cache mappings in an order that left shared executable pages able to become writable, enabling app-supplied code injection. Exploitation requires local application execution but no user interaction; successful injection crosses the application permission boundary.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0959
Published
Jan 14, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 2022CVE 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-12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-12

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

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1404Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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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