dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2019-2205

CRITICAL · 9.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2019-11-13
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
In ProxyResolverV8::SetPacScript of proxy_resolver_v8.cc, there is a possible memory corruption due to a use after free. This could lead to remote code execution with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-8.0 Android-8.1 Android-9 Android-10Android ID: A-139806216

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 confidence

A use-after-free vulnerability in ProxyResolverV8::SetPacScript in the V8 JavaScript engine allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a specially crafted PAC (Proxy Auto-Config) script. The memory corruption occurs when the script is processed and a reference to freed memory is accessed, leading to potential RCE without user interaction.

MitigationApply Android security patches for the affected versions (Android 8.0, 8.1, 9, and 10). This vulnerability is fixed in later Android versions and security bulletins.

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
AndroidOperating system
Affected:= 8.0= 8.1= 9.0= 10.0

CVSS 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
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Check Android version
    Navigate to Settings > About Phone > Android version, or run 'getprop ro.build.version.release' via ADB shell
    Affected if The version is 8.0, 8.1, 9.0, or 10.0 specifically (other versions are not affected by this CVE)
  2. Identify if PAC proxy is configured
    Check Wi-Fi or mobile network proxy settings: Settings > Network & Internet > Wi-Fi > long-press network > Modify network > Advanced > Proxy. Also check Settings > Network & Internet > Mobile Network > Access Point Names > Proxy field.
    Affected if A PAC (Proxy Auto-Config) script URL is explicitly set in any network proxy configuration
  3. Verify security patch level
    Run 'getprop ro.build.version.security_patch' via ADB, or check Settings > About Phone > Security patch level
    Affected if The security patch level is earlier than the patches addressing CVE-2019-2205 (the specific patch dates vary by Android version)

A device is affected if it runs Android 8.0, 8.1, 9.0, or 10.0 AND has a PAC proxy script configured, with a security patch level predating the fix for this vulnerability.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply Android security patches for the affected versions (Android 8.0, 8.1, 9, and 10). This vulnerability is fixed in later Android versions and security bulletins.

Recommended fix High confidence

Android Security Patch Level 2020-01-01 or later (for Android 8.0, 8.1, 9.0, 10.0)

  1. Check your Android device's current security patch level in Settings > About Phone > Android version
  2. Ensure your device receives and installs the January 2020 Android Security Patch (or later)
  3. Go to Settings > System > Software Update (or Settings > About Phone > Software Update) and check for updates
  4. If no update is available from your carrier/OEM, consider upgrading to a newer Android version if your device supports it, as newer versions include the security fixes
Caveat Some older devices may no longer receive monthly security updates from their OEM; verify with your device manufacturer

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation16.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
32.0 hours of engineering $5,600
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Scan for this in your stack

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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2019-2205 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data