CVE-2023-21516Network attack vector

APK installation via InstantPlay URL validation failure

Published May 26, 2023 · Updated Jan 15, 2025

Cross-site scripting in InstantPlay in Samsung Galaxy Store before 4.5.49.8 allows remote attackers to trigger APK installation. InstantPlay fails to validate an attacker-controlled URL before injected script can invoke the store's privileged JavaScript API. A user must open the crafted content, after which the script can cause an APK from Galaxy Store to be installed.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.55%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Cross-site scripting in InstantPlay in Samsung Galaxy Store before 4.5.49.8 allows remote attackers to trigger APK installation. InstantPlay fails to validate an attacker-controlled URL before injected script can invoke the store's privileged JavaScript API. A user must open the crafted content, after which the script can cause an APK from Galaxy Store to be installed.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-21516
Published
May 26, 2023
Updated
Jan 15, 2025
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Samsung Galaxy Store
Classifications
CWE-79, CWE-20, T1664
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 26, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 15, 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=unspecified <4.5.49.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. · Samsung Galaxy Storeversion=unspecified <4.5.49.8

Published CVSS scores

9.6NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.5Samsung MobileCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-79Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation ('Cross-site Scripting')
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1664Exploitation for Client Execution

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

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Your stack

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