Local privilege escalation via lockscreen PIN bypass
Published Aug 14, 2023 · Updated Oct 9, 2024
Privilege escalation in Google Android 11 and 13 allows local users to set a new lock-screen PIN without the existing PIN. The onCreate path in LockSettingsActivity.java continues the credential-change flow when its permission check is bypassed, omitting verification of the current PIN. Low-privileged local access is sufficient, and exploitation requires no user interaction; the result is unauthorized replacement of the device lock credential.
Summary
What happened
Privilege escalation in Google Android 11 and 13 allows local users to set a new lock-screen PIN without the existing PIN. The onCreate path in LockSettingsActivity.java continues the credential-change flow when its permission check is bypassed, omitting verification of the current PIN. Low-privileged local access is sufficient, and exploitation requires no user interaction; the result is unauthorized replacement of the device lock credential.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-21235
- Published
- Aug 14, 2023
- Updated
- Oct 9, 2024
- Vendor
- Product
- Android
- Classifications
- T1556
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 14, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 9, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=11
- Affected versionversion=13
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What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
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Your stack
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