CVE-2023-20908

Local crash loop via post-update memory check

Published Jan 24, 2023 · Updated Apr 3, 2025

Resource exhaustion in Google Cloud Android 10, 11, 12, 12L, and 13 allows local users to trigger a system crash loop via setting updates. SettingsState.java updates a setting before checking the memory-use limit, allowing oversized accumulated state to remain after the limit is exceeded. A malicious local app needs no additional execution privileges or user interaction; repeated updates exhaust memory and keep the device in an out-of-memory crash loop.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Resource exhaustion in Google Cloud Android 10, 11, 12, 12L, and 13 allows local users to trigger a system crash loop via setting updates. SettingsState.java updates a setting before checking the memory-use limit, allowing oversized accumulated state to remain after the limit is exceeded. A malicious local app needs no additional execution privileges or user interaction; repeated updates exhaust memory and keep the device in an out-of-memory crash loop.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20908
Published
Jan 24, 2023
Updated
Apr 3, 2025
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-400, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 24, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 3, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Android-10 Android-11 Android-12 Android-12L Android-13

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-10 Android-11 Android-12 Android-12L Android-13

Published CVSS scores

5.5CISA ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-400Uncontrolled Resource Consumption
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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