CVE-2023-20637

Local privilege escalation via unchecked RIL write

Published Mar 7, 2023 · Updated Mar 6, 2025

Improper input validation in MediaTek RIL on Android 12.0 and 13.0 allows local users with System privileges to escalate privilege. The RIL component fails to check a buffer boundary before a write, permitting crafted input to write outside the intended memory region. Exploitation requires existing System execution privileges but no user interaction, and the resulting memory corruption can elevate local privileges.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
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

Improper input validation in MediaTek RIL on Android 12.0 and 13.0 allows local users with System privileges to escalate privilege. The RIL component fails to check a buffer boundary before a write, permitting crafted input to write outside the intended memory region. Exploitation requires existing System execution privileges but no user interaction, and the resulting memory corruption can elevate local privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20637
Published
Mar 7, 2023
Updated
Mar 6, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-20, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 7, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 6, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.7CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.7NIST NVDCVSS: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-20Improper Input Validation
T1068Exploitation 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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