Local privilege escalation via unhandled persistence exception
Published Mar 24, 2023 · Updated Feb 24, 2025
Improper exception handling in Android 11, 12, 12L, and 13 allows local users to escalate privileges through failed settings persistence. Multiple SnoozeHelper.java functions let an exception escape while persisting snoozed-notification settings, leaving security-relevant state unsaved. A low-privileged local user needs no user interaction; the stale settings permit privilege escalation, although Google has not disclosed the exact privilege gained.
Summary
What happened
Improper exception handling in Android 11, 12, 12L, and 13 allows local users to escalate privileges through failed settings persistence. Multiple SnoozeHelper.java functions let an exception escape while persisting snoozed-notification settings, leaving security-relevant state unsaved. A low-privileged local user needs no user interaction; the stale settings permit privilege escalation, although Google has not disclosed the exact privilege gained.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-20993
- Published
- Mar 24, 2023
- Updated
- Feb 24, 2025
- Vendor
- Google Cloud
- Product
- Android
- Classifications
- CWE-755, T1404
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 24, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 24, 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.
- Affected versionversion=Android-11 Android-12 Android-12L Android-13
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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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