CVE-2023-21078

Local privilege escalation via XTLV buffer overflow

Published Mar 24, 2023 · Updated Feb 21, 2025

Out-of-bounds write in the BCM4389 driver for Android kernel allows local users with System privileges to gain elevated privileges. The rtt_unpack_xtlv_cbfn function in dhd_rtt.c fails to bound a write while unpacking XTLV data, causing a buffer overflow. Exploitation requires existing System execution privileges and no user interaction; successful memory corruption grants higher local privileges.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.10%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in the BCM4389 driver for Android kernel allows local users with System privileges to gain elevated privileges. The rtt_unpack_xtlv_cbfn function in dhd_rtt.c fails to bound a write while unpacking XTLV data, causing a buffer overflow. Exploitation requires existing System execution privileges and no user interaction; successful memory corruption grants higher local privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21078
Published
Mar 24, 2023
Updated
Feb 21, 2025
Vendor
Broadcom
Product
BCM4389
Classifications
CWE-787, T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 24, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 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 kernel

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Broadcom · BCM4389version=Android kernel

Published CVSS scores

6.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1404Exploitation 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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