CVE-2022-20572

Local privilege escalation via mutable dm-verity targets

Published Dec 16, 2022 · Updated Apr 18, 2025

Incorrect authorization in the Android kernel allows local users with System privileges to modify dm-verity-protected files. The verity_target registration in drivers/md/dm-verity-target.c omits DM_TARGET_IMMUTABLE, so device mapper accepts a table reload that switches a verity mapping to another target type. Exploitation requires local System execution privileges and a reload of an existing dm-verity mapping; no user interaction is required, and protected file integrity can be bypassed.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.48%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect authorization in the Android kernel allows local users with System privileges to modify dm-verity-protected files. The verity_target registration in drivers/md/dm-verity-target.c omits DM_TARGET_IMMUTABLE, so device mapper accepts a table reload that switches a verity mapping to another target type. Exploitation requires local System execution privileges and a reload of an existing dm-verity mapping; no user interaction is required, and protected file integrity can be bypassed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-20572
Published
Dec 16, 2022
Updated
Apr 18, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-862, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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 kernel

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linux Kernelversion=Android kernel

Published CVSS scores

6.7CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-862Missing Authorization
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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