CVE-2022-20281

Local privilege escalation via unchecked background launch

Published Aug 11, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Missing authorization in the Android 13 Framework allows local users to escalate privileges by starting an activity from the background. The Framework's background-activity launch path omits a required permission check before starting the requested activity. Exploitation requires existing User execution privileges and no user interaction; the resulting elevated privilege boundary is undisclosed.

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

Missing authorization in the Android 13 Framework allows local users to escalate privileges by starting an activity from the background. The Framework's background-activity launch path omits a required permission check before starting the requested activity. Exploitation requires existing User execution privileges and no user interaction; the resulting elevated privilege boundary is undisclosed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-20281
Published
Aug 11, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-862, T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 11, 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-13

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-13

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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

CWE-862Missing Authorization
T1404Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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