CVE-2021-39689

Persistent privilege escalation via unverified compilation artifacts

Published Mar 16, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper artifact validation in Android 12 allows local users with System execution privileges to persist privileged code across reboots. Odsign in odsign_main.cpp calls odrefresh --compile before verifying existing artifacts, so partial compilation can retain attacker-written files not protected by fs-verity. Exploitation requires prior System-level filesystem compromise; no user interaction is required, and the consequence is persistent privileged execution.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
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 artifact validation in Android 12 allows local users with System execution privileges to persist privileged code across reboots. Odsign in odsign_main.cpp calls odrefresh --compile before verifying existing artifacts, so partial compilation can retain attacker-written files not protected by fs-verity. Exploitation requires prior System-level filesystem compromise; no user interaction is required, and the consequence is persistent privileged execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-39689
Published
Mar 16, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-345
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 16, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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 privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-12

Published CVSS scores

6.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-345Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity

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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