CVE-2023-21225

Local privilege escalation via unlocked display power

Published Jun 28, 2023 · Updated Dec 3, 2024

Incorrect authorization in Android kernel Protected Confirmation allows local users to escalate privileges by bypassing the confirmation screen. The Protected Confirmation flow fails to lock display power, allowing the protected confirmation screen to be bypassed. User interaction is required, and the published record does not identify the elevated action available after bypass.

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

Incorrect authorization in Android kernel Protected Confirmation allows local users to escalate privileges by bypassing the confirmation screen. The Protected Confirmation flow fails to lock display power, allowing the protected confirmation screen to be bypassed. User interaction is required, and the published record does not identify the elevated action available after bypass.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21225
Published
Jun 28, 2023
Updated
Dec 3, 2024
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-863, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 28, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 3, 2024Record 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 privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=Android kernel

Published CVSS scores

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

CWE-863Incorrect Authorization
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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