CVE-2023-20657

Local privilege escalation via unchecked mtee write

Published Apr 6, 2023 · Updated Mar 17, 2025

Out-of-bounds write in mtee on MediaTek chipsets running Android 10.0 through 13.0 allows local users to elevate privileges. The mtee component performs a write without the required bounds check, allowing data to be written beyond the intended buffer. Exploitation requires System execution privileges and no user interaction; MediaTek has not disclosed the affected function or input path.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.09%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in mtee on MediaTek chipsets running Android 10.0 through 13.0 allows local users to elevate privileges. The mtee component performs a write without the required bounds check, allowing data to be written beyond the intended buffer. Exploitation requires System execution privileges and no user interaction; MediaTek has not disclosed the affected function or input path.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20657
Published
Apr 6, 2023
Updated
Mar 17, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-787, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 6, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 17, 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

6.7NISTCVSS: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-787Out-of-bounds Write
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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