CVE-2022-20203

Local privilege escalation via protobuf decode corruption

Published Jun 15, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Memory corruption in Android 12L's nanopb library allows local users to elevate privileges by decoding untrusted protobuf files. The public record identifies multiple decoder locations but does not disclose which nanopb functions or unchecked operations corrupt memory. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access, needs no user interaction, and can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory corruption in Android 12L's nanopb library allows local users to elevate privileges by decoding untrusted protobuf files. The public record identifies multiple decoder locations but does not disclose which nanopb functions or unchecked operations corrupt memory. Exploitation requires local low-privileged access, needs no user interaction, and can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-20203
Published
Jun 15, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 15, 2022CVE 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=Android-12L

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-12L

Published CVSS scores

7.8CanonicalCVSS: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.

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

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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