CVE-2022-20146
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 · uneditedIn uploadFile of FileUploadServiceImpl.java, there is a possible incorrect file access due to a confused deputy. This could lead to local information disclosure of private files with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android kernelAndroid ID: A-211757677References: N/A
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 · moderate confidenceThis is a confused deputy vulnerability in Android's FileUploadServiceImpl.java where improper validation of file paths during upload operations allows a malicious or compromised application to access files outside the intended upload directory, leading to local information disclosure of private files.
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 dataall versionsCVSS 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:3.1/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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Confirm device is running Google AndroidCheck system properties or settings to verify the OS is Google Android (not a custom ROM that may have removed this component)Affected if Device is running Google Android with the FileUploadServiceImpl framework component present
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Identify the FileUploadServiceImpl componentSearch the Android framework JAR files (typically in /system/framework/) for FileUploadServiceImpl.class or the Java source fileAffected if The FileUploadServiceImpl component exists in the Android framework installation
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Check if upload functionality is accessibleExamine if any installed applications have permission to invoke the file upload service (check for android.permission.INTERNET or service-binding permissions in manifests)Affected if An application can trigger the uploadFile function without proper path validation being enforced
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Determine if path validation is implementedReview the FileUploadServiceImpl.java implementation for canonical path resolution (realPath, getCanonicalPath) and path boundary checks before file accessAffected if The uploadFile function lacks proper path traversal safeguards and allows relative path constructs like '../' in the filename parameter
If the device runs Google Android with the FileUploadServiceImpl component and the uploadFile function can be invoked without validated path canonicalization, the device is vulnerable to path traversal allowing access to files outside the intended upload directory.
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 dataImplement proper path validation and canonicalization in the uploadFile function to ensure files are only accessed within the intended directory boundaries, preventing path traversal attacks.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 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 $4,480.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2022-20146 — 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-2022-20146 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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