CVE-2023-21092

Local privilege escalation via unchecked package ownership

Published Apr 19, 2023 · Updated Feb 5, 2025

Improper input validation in Android 11, 12, 12L, and 13 allows local users to gain System app permissions through a service request. ActiveServices.retrieveServiceLocked accepts a caller-supplied package without verifying that it belongs to the caller's UID, so a receiver can register under a System app's permissions. A locally installed low-privileged app can exploit the mismatch without user interaction or additional execution privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.09%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in Android 11, 12, 12L, and 13 allows local users to gain System app permissions through a service request. ActiveServices.retrieveServiceLocked accepts a caller-supplied package without verifying that it belongs to the caller's UID, so a receiver can register under a System app's permissions. A locally installed low-privileged app can exploit the mismatch without user interaction or additional execution privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21092
Published
Apr 19, 2023
Updated
Feb 5, 2025
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-20, T1404
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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=Android-11 Android-12 Android-12L Android-13

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
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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