CVE-2025-20960

Privileged API access via improper authorization

Published May 7, 2025 · Updated May 7, 2025

Improper authorization in CocktailBarService on Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR May-2025 Release 1 allows local users to invoke privileged APIs. The service accepts API calls from callers with insufficient permission because its access-control check does not enforce the required authorization. Exploitation requires code execution on an affected Android 13, 14, or 15 device; published impact is limited to unauthorized use of service privileges.

CVSS severity4.0
Medium
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

Improper authorization in CocktailBarService on Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR May-2025 Release 1 allows local users to invoke privileged APIs. The service accepts API calls from callers with insufficient permission because its access-control check does not enforce the required authorization. Exploitation requires code execution on an affected Android 13, 14, or 15 device; published impact is limited to unauthorized use of service privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-20960
Published
May 7, 2025
Updated
May 7, 2025
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Samsung Mobile Devices
Classifications
CWE-285, T1548
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 7, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 7, 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?

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

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

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

Published CVSS scores

3.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
4.0Samsung MobileCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N

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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-285Improper Authorization
T1548Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism

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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