CVE-2022-20538

Local app discovery via missing package filtering

Published Dec 16, 2022 · Updated Apr 18, 2025

Observable discrepancy in Android 13 Framework allows local users to determine whether an application is installed without query permission. RoleService.getSmsRoleHolder returns the SMS role holder's package name without first applying the caller's package-visibility filter. Any local application with low privileges can use the response difference to infer installation status without user interaction, but the flaw does not expose application data or permit modification.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 17, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Observable discrepancy in Android 13 Framework allows local users to determine whether an application is installed without query permission. RoleService.getSmsRoleHolder returns the SMS role holder's package name without first applying the caller's package-visibility filter. Any local application with low privileges can use the response difference to infer installation status without user interaction, but the flaw does not expose application data or permit modification.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-20538
Published
Dec 16, 2022
Updated
Apr 18, 2025
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-203, T1418
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 16, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 18, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

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

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
5.5CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/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 11, 2026Sep 17, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 17, 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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo