CVE-2023-20804

Local privilege escalation via unchecked imgsys write

Published Aug 7, 2023 · Updated Oct 22, 2024

An out-of-bounds write in MediaTek imgsys on Android 12.0, Android 13.0, and Yocto 4.0 allows local users to escalate privileges. The imgsys component writes beyond an intended buffer because it fails to check a boundary before performing the write. Exploitation requires existing System execution privileges on an affected MediaTek chipset but no user interaction; the exact function and input path are undisclosed.

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

An out-of-bounds write in MediaTek imgsys on Android 12.0, Android 13.0, and Yocto 4.0 allows local users to escalate privileges. The imgsys component writes beyond an intended buffer because it fails to check a boundary before performing the write. Exploitation requires existing System execution privileges on an affected MediaTek chipset but no user interaction; the exact function and input path are undisclosed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20804
Published
Aug 7, 2023
Updated
Oct 22, 2024
Vendor
Yocto Project
Product
Yocto Project
Classifications
CWE-787, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 7, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 22, 2024Record 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=4.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Yocto Project · Yocto Projectversion=4.0
MediaTek · MT6879version=0 <=*
MediaTek · MT8195version=0 <=*
MediaTek · MT8395version=0 <=*
Google · Androidversion=12.0; version=13.0
MediaTek · MT8673version=0 <=*
MediaTek · MT8188version=0 <=*
MediaTek · MT6983version=0 <=*
MediaTek · MT2713version=0 <=*
MediaTek · MT6895version=0 <=*

Published CVSS scores

6.7CISACVSS: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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