CVE-2025-20973

Physical lock reset via improper authentication

Published May 7, 2025 · Updated May 7, 2025

Improper authentication in Secure Folder before 1.8.12.0 on Android 13 and 1.9.21.00 on Android 14 allows physical attackers to reset its lock type. Samsung has not published the authentication locus or the incorrect operation that permits the lock-type reset. Exploitation requires physical access, high privileges, and user interaction; resetting the lock can permit access to protected apps and files.

CVSS severity5.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper authentication in Secure Folder before 1.8.12.0 on Android 13 and 1.9.21.00 on Android 14 allows physical attackers to reset its lock type. Samsung has not published the authentication locus or the incorrect operation that permits the lock-type reset. Exploitation requires physical access, high privileges, and user interaction; resetting the lock can permit access to protected apps and files.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-20973
Published
May 7, 2025
Updated
May 7, 2025
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Secure Folder
Classifications
CWE-287, T1461
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
admin

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 vectorphysical
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. · Secure FolderAffected versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

5.4Samsung MobileCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/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)
Vectorphysical
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-287Improper Authentication
T1461Lockscreen Bypass

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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