dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2022-20397

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-10-14
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
80/100
Remediation priority · High
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 SitRilClient_OnResponse of SitRilSe.cpp, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android kernelAndroid ID: A-223086933References: 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 · high confidence

A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the Android kernel's Radio Interface Layer (RIL) client. The SitRilClient_OnResponse function in SitRilSe.cpp lacks proper bounds validation before writing data, allowing an out-of-bounds write that can be exploited for local privilege escalation without requiring user interaction or additional execution privileges.

MitigationApply a bounds check in the SitRilClient_OnResponse function before any memory write operations to ensure data stays within allocated buffer limits. This is a kernel-level fix requiring recompilation of the Android kernel.

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:all versions

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

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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 kernel version
    Run 'cat /proc/version' or check in Settings > About Phone > Kernel Version to obtain the installed kernel version
    Affected if The kernel version is any release prior to the August 2022 Android Security Bulletin patch level (kernel 5.10 or earlier on most devices, or kernel versions lacking the CVE-2022-20397 fix)
  2. Verify RIL daemon is running
    Run 'ps -A | grep rild' or check for rild process to confirm the Radio Interface Layer daemon is active on the device
    Affected if The RIL daemon (rild) is running and the kernel module containing SitRilSe.cpp is loaded, which is the case on all standard Android phones with cellular capability
  3. Check Android security patch level
    Go to Settings > About Phone > Security Patch Level or run 'getprop ro.build.version.security_patch' to see the installed security patch date
    Affected if The security patch level is earlier than August 2022, indicating the CVE fix has not been applied
  4. Identify RIL vendor library
    Check for /vendor/lib64/libril*.so or /system/lib64/libril*.so files to determine which RIL implementation is in use
    Affected if The device uses a RIL library that includes the SitRilClient_OnResponse function in SitRilSe.cpp without bounds checking
  5. Review kernel symbols for vulnerable function
    If root access is available, run 'cat /proc/kallsyms | grep -i SitRil' to check if the SitRilClient_OnResponse symbol is present in the kernel
    Affected if The vulnerable function symbol exists in the running kernel, indicating the unpatched code is present

A device is affected if it runs any Android version without the August 2022 security update, has an active RIL daemon, and the kernel contains the unbounds-checked SitRilClient_OnResponse function from SitRilSe.cpp.

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 a bounds check in the SitRilClient_OnResponse function before any memory write operations to ensure data stays within allocated buffer limits. This is a kernel-level fix requiring recompilation of the Android kernel.

Recommended fix High confidence

Android devices with September 2022 Security Patch Level or later (e.g., Android 13, Android 12L, or Android 12 with September 2022 update applied)

  1. Check your Android device's current security patch level in Settings > About Phone > Android version
  2. Verify if your device has received the September 2022 Android Security Patch Level or later
  3. If not available, check for manufacturer-provided updates that include the September 2022 security update
  4. Install any available system updates to apply the security patch containing the fix for CVE-2022-20397
  5. After updating, verify the security patch level reflects the patched version in Settings > About Phone > Android version
Caveat Update may not be available for older or unsupported devices; some devices may no longer receive security updates from manufacturers

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

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation6.0 h
  • Implementation12.0 h
  • Testing10.0 h
  • Review / QA6.0 h
34.0 hours of engineering $5,940
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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-2022-20397 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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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
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