CVE-2023-20946Network attack vector

Privilege escalation via unchecked Bluetooth deep link

Published Feb 28, 2023 · Updated Mar 21, 2025

Permission bypass in Bluetooth Settings in Android 11, 12, 12L, and 13 allows remote attackers to elevate privileges without interaction. BluetoothSwitchPreferenceController.onStart starts AlwaysDiscoverable when the dashboard is opened through SliceDeepLinkTrampoline without restricting the caller to Settings or SystemUI. A crafted deep link therefore makes the device discoverable through the privileged Settings app without additional execution privileges or user interaction.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.48%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Permission bypass in Bluetooth Settings in Android 11, 12, 12L, and 13 allows remote attackers to elevate privileges without interaction. BluetoothSwitchPreferenceController.onStart starts AlwaysDiscoverable when the dashboard is opened through SliceDeepLinkTrampoline without restricting the caller to Settings or SystemUI. A crafted deep link therefore makes the device discoverable through the privileged Settings app without additional execution privileges or user interaction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20946
Published
Feb 28, 2023
Updated
Mar 21, 2025
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
T1548
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 28, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 21, 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-11 Android-12 Android-12L Android-13

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

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

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1548Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism

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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