CVE-2023-20950

Local privilege escalation via PendingIntent launch bypass

Published Apr 19, 2023 · Updated Feb 5, 2025

Incorrect authorization in Google Android 11, 12, and 12L allows local users to escalate privileges without user interaction. AlarmManagerActivity permits a PendingIntent to pass through Alarm Manager without enforcing background activity launch restrictions, allowing a background app to start restricted activity flows. Exploitation requires a locally installed app, but needs no additional execution privileges and grants elevated local capabilities.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.08%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect authorization in Google Android 11, 12, and 12L allows local users to escalate privileges without user interaction. AlarmManagerActivity permits a PendingIntent to pass through Alarm Manager without enforcing background activity launch restrictions, allowing a background app to start restricted activity flows. Exploitation requires a locally installed app, but needs no additional execution privileges and grants elevated local capabilities.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20950
Published
Apr 19, 2023
Updated
Feb 5, 2025
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-863, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 19, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 5, 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

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

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

Published CVSS scores

7.8Android CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NVDCVSS: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.

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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-863Incorrect Authorization
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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