CVE-2021-39693

Local privilege escalation via hidden location access

Published Mar 16, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Android 12 AppOpsService logic error allows local users to access location without a visible indicator. The onUidStateChanged method mishandles app-operation state, suppressing the location-use indicator while permitting access. Local users need no additional privileges or interaction; the bounded impact is unauthorized location disclosure and elevation within Android's permission model.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Android 12 AppOpsService logic error allows local users to access location without a visible indicator. The onUidStateChanged method mishandles app-operation state, suppressing the location-use indicator while permitting access. Local users need no additional privileges or interaction; the bounded impact is unauthorized location disclosure and elevation within Android's permission model.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-39693
Published
Mar 16, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Google
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-119, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Android-12

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Google · Androidversion=Android-12

Published CVSS scores

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NVDAV: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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
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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