Local privilege escalation via background activity launch
Published Sep 2, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026
Elevation of privilege in the Android 13 media session framework allows local users to launch arbitrary activities from the background. The setMediaButtonReceiver methods accepted a PendingIntent targeting an activity instead of rejecting or ignoring it, bypassing background-launch controls. A malicious app needs local execution but no further privileges or user interaction, and successful exploitation runs activities outside normal background restrictions.
Summary
What happened
Elevation of privilege in the Android 13 media session framework allows local users to launch arbitrary activities from the background. The setMediaButtonReceiver methods accepted a PendingIntent targeting an activity instead of rejecting or ignoring it, bypassing background-launch controls. A malicious app needs local execution but no further privileges or user interaction, and successful exploitation runs activities outside normal background restrictions.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-22437
- Published
- Sep 2, 2025
- Updated
- Feb 26, 2026
- Vendor
- Google Cloud
- Product
- Android
- Classifications
- CWE-693, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 2, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 26, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
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- Affected versionversion=13
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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