CVE-2023-40095

Local privilege escalation via missing launch check

Published Dec 4, 2023 · Updated Dec 2, 2024

Elevation of privilege in Google Android 11 through 14 allows local users to gain higher privileges via a missing background activity launch check. The createDontSendToRestrictedAppsBundle method in PendingIntentUtils.java fails to disable background activity launches when constructing BroadcastOptions, allowing a crafted PendingIntent flow to bypass the intended restriction. Exploitation requires a local low-privilege app context but no user interaction, and can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.13%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Elevation of privilege in Google Android 11 through 14 allows local users to gain higher privileges via a missing background activity launch check. The createDontSendToRestrictedAppsBundle method in PendingIntentUtils.java fails to disable background activity launches when constructing BroadcastOptions, allowing a crafted PendingIntent flow to bypass the intended restriction. Exploitation requires a local low-privilege app context but no user interaction, and can compromise confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-40095
Published
Dec 4, 2023
Updated
Dec 2, 2024
Vendor
Google
Product
Android
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 4, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 2, 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?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=11
  2. Affected versionversion=12
  3. Affected versionversion=12L
  4. Affected versionversion=13
  5. Affected versionversion=14

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google · Androidversion=11; version=12; version=12L; version=13; version=14

Published CVSS scores

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/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.

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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