CVE-2023-20805

System privilege escalation via unchecked imgsys write

Published Aug 7, 2023 · Updated Oct 22, 2024

Out-of-bounds write in MediaTek imgsys on Android 12.0, Android 13.0, and IoT Yocto 4.0 allows local users to gain System privileges. The imgsys component performs a memory write without first checking that the destination bounds contain the requested operation. Exploitation requires existing high local privileges on an affected MediaTek chipset, needs no user interaction, and grants System execution.

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

Out-of-bounds write in MediaTek imgsys on Android 12.0, Android 13.0, and IoT Yocto 4.0 allows local users to gain System privileges. The imgsys component performs a memory write without first checking that the destination bounds contain the requested operation. Exploitation requires existing high local privileges on an affected MediaTek chipset, needs no user interaction, and grants System execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20805
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

6.7CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
6.7NVDCVSS: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.

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-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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