Linux KernelOperating system · Linux
CVE-2016-8461
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn information disclosure vulnerability in the bootloader could enable a local attacker to access data outside of its permission level. This issue is rated as High because it could be used to access sensitive data. Product: Android. Versions: Kernel-3.18. Android ID: A-32369621.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceAn information disclosure vulnerability in the Android bootloader (kernel-3.18) allows a local attacker to access data outside of its permission level. The bootloader runs with elevated privileges early in the device boot process, and this flaw permits unauthorized data access to sensitive information. This is a privilege escalation issue at the firmware level.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Linux KernelOperating system
= 3.18CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check if the device runs AndroidVerify the device is an Android-based device (smartphone, tablet, or other Android OS device). This CVE targets the Android bootloader specifically.Affected if The device is not an Android device - this CVE only affects Android bootloaders
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Identify the kernel versionOn the Android device, check the running kernel version via 'uname -a' in a terminal, or check in Settings > About Phone > Kernel Version. Alternatively, use 'cat /proc/version'Affected if The kernel version is NOT 3.18 - this CVE only affects kernel version 3.18
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Check the bootloader version or SPL dateAccess the bootloader/fastboot mode (usually by powering on with volume down + power buttons) and check the SPL (Second Program Loader) version displayed, or use 'fastboot getvar all' command when the device is in fastboot modeAffected if The bootloader SPL is older than the patch date for CVE-2016-8461 and the kernel is version 3.18 - indicating an unpatched bootloader on the affected kernel version
A user is affected if their Android device runs Linux kernel version 3.18 AND has a bootloader/SPL that predates the security patch for CVE-2016-8461.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataApply the security patch level (SPL) update provided by the device OEM that addresses CVE-2016-8461. Ensure the bootloader is locked and running the latest patched version from the manufacturer.
Fix this in Linux Kernel
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,152.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2016-8461 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2016-8461 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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