CVE-2023-21488

Unauthorized activity launches in Tips

Published May 4, 2023 · Updated Feb 12, 2025

Improper access control in Tips on Samsung Mobile Devices running Android 11, 12, or 13 allows local attackers to launch arbitrary activities. The Tips component permits activity launching without the required access control; Samsung has not disclosed the entry point or omitted authorization check. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction, and the documented consequence is limited to unauthorized activity launches.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper access control in Tips on Samsung Mobile Devices running Android 11, 12, or 13 allows local attackers to launch arbitrary activities. The Tips component permits activity launching without the required access control; Samsung has not disclosed the entry point or omitted authorization check. Exploitation requires local access and user interaction, and the documented consequence is limited to unauthorized activity launches.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21488
Published
May 4, 2023
Updated
Feb 12, 2025
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Samsung Mobile Devices
Classifications
CWE-284
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 4, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 12, 2025Record 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 11, 12, 13 <SMR May-2023 Release 1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. · Samsung Mobile Devicesversion=Android 11, 12, 13 <SMR May-2023 Release 1

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.4Samsung MobileCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:L

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-284Improper Access Control

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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