CVE-2023-21081

Local privilege escalation via unrestricted PendingIntent launches

Published Apr 19, 2023 · Updated Feb 5, 2025

Improper privilege management in Android 11, 12, 12L, and 13 allows local users to escalate privileges through package-manager APIs. PackageInstallerService and related classes send caller-supplied PendingIntent callbacks without disabling background activity launches. A low-privileged app can exploit the flaw without user interaction to launch background activities or foreground services outside normal restrictions.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Improper privilege management in Android 11, 12, 12L, and 13 allows local users to escalate privileges through package-manager APIs. PackageInstallerService and related classes send caller-supplied PendingIntent callbacks without disabling background activity launches. A low-privileged app can exploit the flaw without user interaction to launch background activities or foreground services outside normal restrictions.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21081
Published
Apr 19, 2023
Updated
Feb 5, 2025
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

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 Android-13

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

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

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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