Local privilege escalation via deep-link caller confusion
Published Jul 12, 2023 · Updated Nov 6, 2024
Incorrect authorization in Android 13 Settings allows local users to launch arbitrary activities through a crafted deep-link intent. SettingsHomepageActivity redirected managed-profile requests internally without preserving and validating the original caller, causing permission checks to trust Settings instead of the initiating app. Exploitation requires a local app and user interaction; successful use makes Settings start an activity that the app could not open directly.
Summary
What happened
Incorrect authorization in Android 13 Settings allows local users to launch arbitrary activities through a crafted deep-link intent. SettingsHomepageActivity redirected managed-profile requests internally without preserving and validating the original caller, causing permission checks to trust Settings instead of the initiating app. Exploitation requires a local app and user interaction; successful use makes Settings start an activity that the app could not open directly.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2023-21256
- Published
- Jul 12, 2023
- Updated
- Nov 6, 2024
- Vendor
- Product
- Android
- Classifications
- CWE-863, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 12, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Nov 6, 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=13
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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