CVE-2021-39766

Local app-installation disclosure via Settings side channel

Published Mar 30, 2022 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Observable discrepancy in Android 12L Settings allows local users to determine whether another app is installed without query permission. Google has not publicly identified the Settings code path or observable response discrepancy that leaks package-presence information. A locally installed app with ordinary execution access can perform the check without user interaction or additional execution privileges.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.11%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Observable discrepancy in Android 12L Settings allows local users to determine whether another app is installed without query permission. Google has not publicly identified the Settings code path or observable response discrepancy that leaks package-presence information. A locally installed app with ordinary execution access can perform the check without user interaction or additional execution privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-39766
Published
Mar 30, 2022
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-203, T1418
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 30, 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-12L

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-12L

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-203Observable Discrepancy
T1418Software Discovery

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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