CVE-2023-20916Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via missing launch authorization

Published Jan 24, 2023 · Updated Apr 2, 2025

Missing authorization in Android 12 and 12L allows local users to start background activities and escalate privileges without interaction. LauncherAppsService.getMainActivityLaunchIntent returns a launch PendingIntent without enforcing ACCESS_SHORTCUTS, letting an unprivileged app bypass background-launch restrictions. A device-local app with no added execution privileges can trigger the path; the exposed capability is unauthorized background activity launch.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.13%
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

Missing authorization in Android 12 and 12L allows local users to start background activities and escalate privileges without interaction. LauncherAppsService.getMainActivityLaunchIntent returns a launch PendingIntent without enforcing ACCESS_SHORTCUTS, letting an unprivileged app bypass background-launch restrictions. A device-local app with no added execution privileges can trigger the path; the exposed capability is unauthorized background activity launch.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20916
Published
Jan 24, 2023
Updated
Apr 2, 2025
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-862, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 24, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Apr 2, 2025Record 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 Android-12L

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android-12 Android-12L

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-862Missing Authorization
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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