CVE-2023-21455

Adjacent message manipulation via missing baseband authentication

Published Mar 16, 2023 · Updated Feb 26, 2025

Improper authentication in Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR Mar-2023 Release 1 allows attackers to alter unencrypted-message handling. The Exynos baseband applies inadequate authentication logic before processing an unencrypted message, causing the message to be handled without the required authorization. Exploitation requires access to the adjacent communications path and a selected device using an Exynos CP chipset; disclosed effects are limited to confidentiality and message integrity.

CVSS severity9.1
Critical
EPSS probability0.40%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Improper authentication in Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR Mar-2023 Release 1 allows attackers to alter unencrypted-message handling. The Exynos baseband applies inadequate authentication logic before processing an unencrypted message, causing the message to be handled without the required authorization. Exploitation requires access to the adjacent communications path and a selected device using an Exynos CP chipset; disclosed effects are limited to confidentiality and message integrity.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21455
Published
Mar 16, 2023
Updated
Feb 26, 2025
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Samsung Mobile Devices
Classifications
CWE-287
Attack vector
adjacent
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 16, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Select devices using Exynos CP chipsets <SMR Mar-2023 Release 1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectoradjacent
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. · Samsung Mobile Devicesversion=Select devices using Exynos CP chipsets <SMR Mar-2023 Release 1

Published CVSS scores

5.9Samsung MobileCVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N
9.1NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

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)
Vectoradjacent
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo