CVE-2021-25356Public exploit

Device-admin escalation via skipped caller verification

Published Apr 9, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper authorization in Managed Provisioning on Samsung Mobile Devices allows local users to grant an app device-admin rights. A positive com.samsung.knox.container.requestId extra makes PreProvisioningActivity skip verifyActionAndCaller and accept attacker-supplied provisioning parameters. Any unprivileged app can trigger the flow to install another app with device-admin permissions, after which provisioning deletes other installed apps.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper authorization in Managed Provisioning on Samsung Mobile Devices allows local users to grant an app device-admin rights. A positive com.samsung.knox.container.requestId extra makes PreProvisioningActivity skip verifyActionAndCaller and accept attacker-supplied provisioning parameters. Any unprivileged app can trigger the flow to install another app with device-admin permissions, after which provisioning deletes other installed apps.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-25356
Published
Apr 9, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Samsung Mobile Devices
Classifications
CWE-20, CWE-863, T1626.001
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 9, 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=O(8.x), P(9.0), Q(10.0), R(11.0) <SMR APR-2021 Release 1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. · Samsung Mobile Devicesversion=O(8.x), P(9.0), Q(10.0), R(11.0) <SMR APR-2021 Release 1

Published CVSS scores

8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.1Samsung MobileCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:N
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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
T1626.001Device Administrator Permissions

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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