CVE-2022-20550

Local privilege escalation via cross-package dream settings

Published Dec 16, 2022 · Updated Apr 18, 2025

Privilege escalation in Android 13 allows local users to launch arbitrary protected activities through crafted dream-service metadata. DreamService.convertToComponentName accepted an absolute settingsActivity component without verifying that its package matched the dream service package. A malicious app with user execution privileges can redirect dream settings to another package without user interaction.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in Android 13 allows local users to launch arbitrary protected activities through crafted dream-service metadata. DreamService.convertToComponentName accepted an absolute settingsActivity component without verifying that its package matched the dream service package. A malicious app with user execution privileges can redirect dream settings to another package without user interaction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-20550
Published
Dec 16, 2022
Updated
Apr 18, 2025
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-610, T1626
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

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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
7.8CISA-ADPCVSS: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-610Externally Controlled Reference to a Resource in Another Sphere
T1626Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism

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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