CVE-2023-20817

Privilege escalation via WLAN out-of-bounds write

Published Aug 7, 2023 · Updated Oct 16, 2024

Improper input validation in Google Android 12.0 and 13.0 allows local users to gain elevated privileges through the WLAN service. The service writes beyond a buffer boundary after accepting improperly validated input; MediaTek has not disclosed the affected function or input path. Exploitation requires existing System execution privileges on a device with a listed MediaTek chipset, but requires no user interaction.

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 Google Android 12.0 and 13.0 allows local users to gain elevated privileges through the WLAN service. The service writes beyond a buffer boundary after accepting improperly validated input; MediaTek has not disclosed the affected function or input path. Exploitation requires existing System execution privileges on a device with a listed MediaTek chipset, but requires no user interaction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20817
Published
Aug 7, 2023
Updated
Oct 16, 2024
Vendor
Google
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-787, CWE-20, T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 7, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 16, 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=12.0
  2. Affected versionversion=13.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Google · Androidversion=12.0; version=13.0

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.

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
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1404Exploitation 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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