CVE-2022-20446

Background microphone access via missing permission checks

Published Nov 8, 2022 · Updated May 1, 2025

Missing authorization in Android 10 and Android 11 allows local users to access the microphone from the background without interaction. The AlwaysOnHotwordDetector path permits hotword recognition without enforcing the service's CAPTURE_AUDIO_HOTWORD permission and the caller's RECORD_AUDIO permission. Local code with ordinary execution privileges can invoke the path without user interaction, exposing microphone audio while it runs in the background.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
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

Missing authorization in Android 10 and Android 11 allows local users to access the microphone from the background without interaction. The AlwaysOnHotwordDetector path permits hotword recognition without enforcing the service's CAPTURE_AUDIO_HOTWORD permission and the caller's RECORD_AUDIO permission. Local code with ordinary execution privileges can invoke the path without user interaction, exposing microphone audio while it runs in the background.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-20446
Published
Nov 8, 2022
Updated
May 1, 2025
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-862, T1429
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 8, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 1, 2025Record 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-10 Android-11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-10 Android-11

Published CVSS scores

3.3CISA ADP VulnrichmentCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
3.3NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-862Missing Authorization
T1429Audio Capture

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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