CVE-2023-21461

Device shutdown via unprotected Settings activity

Published Mar 16, 2023 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Improper authorization in Settings on Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR Mar-2023 Release 1 allows local users to shut down the device. AutoPowerOnOffConfirmDialog exposes an unprotected activity and accepts an unauthorized launch instead of enforcing access control. Local execution on Android 12 or 13 is required, and successful exploitation powers off the device, interrupting availability.

CVSS severity4.0
Medium
EPSS probability0.15%
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 authorization in Settings on Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR Mar-2023 Release 1 allows local users to shut down the device. AutoPowerOnOffConfirmDialog exposes an unprotected activity and accepts an unauthorized launch instead of enforcing access control. Local execution on Android 12 or 13 is required, and successful exploitation powers off the device, interrupting availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21461
Published
Mar 16, 2023
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Samsung Mobile Devices
Classifications
CWE-285, T1529
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 16, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 2024Record 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=Android 12, 13 <SMR Mar-2023 Release 1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. · Samsung Mobile Devicesversion=Android 12, 13 <SMR Mar-2023 Release 1

Published CVSS scores

4.0Samsung MobileCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-285Improper Authorization
T1529System Shutdown/Reboot

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