CVE-2025-20936

Root privilege escalation via HDCP trustlet authorization

Published Apr 8, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026

Improper authorization in the HDCP trustlet in Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR Apr-2025 Release 1 allows local users to gain root access. Samsung has not disclosed the affected function or how the trustlet incorrectly authorizes requests from shell-privileged processes. Shell access to a selected Android 13, 14, or 15 device is required, after which successful exploitation grants full root privileges.

CVSS severity8.8
High
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 authorization in the HDCP trustlet in Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR Apr-2025 Release 1 allows local users to gain root access. Samsung has not disclosed the affected function or how the trustlet incorrectly authorizes requests from shell-privileged processes. Shell access to a selected Android 13, 14, or 15 device is required, after which successful exploitation grants full root privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-20936
Published
Apr 8, 2025
Updated
Feb 26, 2026
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Samsung Mobile Devices
Classifications
CWE-285, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 8, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 2026Record 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?

Affected versions are unavailable in this record. Check the vendor advisory for version and patch details.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. · Samsung Mobile DevicesAffected versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

8.8Samsung MobileCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS: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.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-285Improper Authorization
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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