Local privilege escalation via translucent transition tapjacking
Published Dec 8, 2025 · Updated Dec 17, 2025
Tapjacking in Android 13 through 16 allows local users to gain elevated privileges by tapping a translucent window during a transition. DefaultTransitionHandler permits default animations to run for three seconds, while InputDispatcher sends touches to opaque-declared windows even when their alpha is below 0.5. Exploitation requires a malicious local app and user interaction, and successful tap redirection grants actions through a more privileged interface.
Summary
What happened
Tapjacking in Android 13 through 16 allows local users to gain elevated privileges by tapping a translucent window during a transition. DefaultTransitionHandler permits default animations to run for three seconds, while InputDispatcher sends touches to opaque-declared windows even when their alpha is below 0.5. Exploitation requires a malicious local app and user interaction, and successful tap redirection grants actions through a more privileged interface.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-48621
- Published
- Dec 8, 2025
- Updated
- Dec 17, 2025
- Vendor
- Google Cloud
- Product
- Android
- Classifications
- CWE-1188, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 8, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Dec 17, 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?
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- Affected versionversion=13
- Affected versionversion=14
- Affected versionversion=15
- Affected versionversion=16
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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