CVE-2023-20938Public exploit

Local root escalation via premature Binder cleanup

Published Feb 28, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Use-after-free in the Binder kernel driver in Google Android allows local users to gain root privileges through a crafted Binder transaction. An unaligned offsets_size reaches an error path where binder_transaction_buffer_release cleans up unprocessed Binder nodes and decrements their reference counts. An untrusted app needs no user interaction; freeing a still-referenced binder_node leaves a dangling pointer that supports kernel memory reuse and privilege escalation.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.33%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the Binder kernel driver in Google Android allows local users to gain root privileges through a crafted Binder transaction. An unaligned offsets_size reaches an error path where binder_transaction_buffer_release cleans up unprocessed Binder nodes and decrements their reference counts. An untrusted app needs no user interaction; freeing a still-referenced binder_node leaves a dangling pointer that supports kernel memory reuse and privilege escalation.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20938
Published
Feb 28, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-416, T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 28, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 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=Android kernel

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android kernel
Google · Androidversion=0 <2023-02-01

Published CVSS scores

8.1CISA ADP VulnrichmentCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8GitHub Advisory DatabaseCVSS: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-416Use After Free
T1404Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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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