CVE-2021-25428

Local permission escalation via PackageManager validation failure

Published Jul 8, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper privilege management in Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR July-2021 Release 1 allows local users to obtain dangerous permissions. PackageManager fails an unspecified validation check before granting dangerous-level permissions to untrusted applications, bypassing user confirmation. An untrusted application must run on an affected Android 8.1 through 11 device; public materials do not identify the granted permissions or subsequent operations.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.10%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper privilege management in Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR July-2021 Release 1 allows local users to obtain dangerous permissions. PackageManager fails an unspecified validation check before granting dangerous-level permissions to untrusted applications, bypassing user confirmation. An untrusted application must run on an affected Android 8.1 through 11 device; public materials do not identify the granted permissions or subsequent operations.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-25428
Published
Jul 8, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Samsung Mobile Devices
Classifications
CWE-269, CWE-20, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 8, 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(8.1), P(9.0), Q(10.0), R(11.0) <SMR July-2021 Release 1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. · Samsung Mobile Devicesversion=O(8.1), P(9.0), Q(10.0), R(11.0) <SMR July-2021 Release 1

Published CVSS scores

4.6NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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.

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

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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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