CVE-2023-20800

Local privilege escalation via missing pointer check

Published Aug 7, 2023 · Updated Nov 6, 2024

Improper input validation in MediaTek imgsys allows local users to escalate privileges through an unchecked pointer. The imgsys code omits a required pointer check before using the value, so invalid input can trigger a system crash; MediaTek has not disclosed the function or input path. The issue affects MT6879, MT6895, MT6983, MT8188, MT8195, MT8395, and MT8781 on Android 12.0, Android 13.0, or IOT-v23.0 (Yocto 4.0); exploitation requires System execution privileges and user interaction.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.10%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 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

Improper input validation in MediaTek imgsys allows local users to escalate privileges through an unchecked pointer. The imgsys code omits a required pointer check before using the value, so invalid input can trigger a system crash; MediaTek has not disclosed the function or input path. The issue affects MT6879, MT6895, MT6983, MT8188, MT8195, MT8395, and MT8781 on Android 12.0, Android 13.0, or IOT-v23.0 (Yocto 4.0); exploitation requires System execution privileges and user interaction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20800
Published
Aug 7, 2023
Updated
Nov 6, 2024
Vendor
MediaTek
Product
MT6879
Classifications
CWE-20, CWE-863, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 7, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 6, 2024Record 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_12
  2. Affected versionversion=android_13_iot-v23.0_yocto-4.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

MediaTek · MT6879version=android_12; version=android_13_iot-v23.0_yocto-4.0
MediaTek · MT8195version=android_12; version=android_13_iot-v23.0_yocto-4.0
MediaTek · MT8395version=android_12; version=android_13_iot-v23.0_yocto-4.0
MediaTek · MT8781version=android_12; version=android_13_iot-v23.0_yocto-4.0
MediaTek · MT8188version=android_12; version=android_13_iot-v23.0_yocto-4.0
MediaTek · MT6983version=android_12; version=android_13_iot-v23.0_yocto-4.0
MediaTek · MT6895version=android_12; version=android_13_iot-v23.0_yocto-4.0

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
CWE-863Incorrect 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

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