dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2022-20582

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2022-12-16
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 ppmp_unprotect_mfcfw_buf of drm_fw.c, there is a possible out of bounds write due to improper input validation. 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-233645166References: 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

This is a kernel-level out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Android's DRM (Digital Rights Management) firmware code located in drm_fw.c, specifically in the ppmp_unprotect_mfcfw_buf function. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and allows a local attacker to escalate privileges to root level without requiring user interaction or additional execution privileges.

MitigationApply the Android kernel security patch for CVE-2022-20582. Since this is a kernel vulnerability, remediation requires a system update from the device manufacturer; users should ensure their devices are updated to the latest security patch 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
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 security patch level
    Go to Settings > About Phone > Security Patch Level. Alternatively, run `getprop ro.build.version.security_patch` via ADB shell.
    Affected if The security patch level is earlier than the date when CVE-2022-20582 was fixed (typically the January 2023 Android security update or later).
  2. Identify kernel version
    Run `uname -r` via ADB shell or check in Settings > About Phone > Kernel version.
    Affected if The kernel version predates the patched kernel version containing the CVE-2022-20582 fix in the drm_fw.c ppmp_unprotect_mfcfw_buf function.
  3. Confirm vulnerable DRM component exists
    Inspect the kernel image or source for the file drm_fw.c and locate the function ppmp_unprotect_mfcfw_buf. On device, this is typically embedded in the kernel binary at /proc/config.gz or available in the device's kernel source.
    Affected if The vulnerable function ppmp_unprotect_mfcfw_buf is present in the kernel without the bounds checking fixes that address the out-of-bounds write vulnerability.
  4. Verify device is Google Android
    Check that the device runs Google Android OS by checking Settings > About Phone > Model or running `getprop ro.product.model` via ADB.
    Affected if The device runs Google Android (as opposed to Android forks without the affected DRM kernel code), and one of the previous checks indicates an unpatched state.

A user is affected if their Android device has a security patch level earlier than the January 2023 Android security update, or if their kernel version lacks the fix for the out-of-bounds write in the ppmp_unprotect_mfcfw_buf function in drm_fw.c.

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 the Android kernel security patch for CVE-2022-20582. Since this is a kernel vulnerability, remediation requires a system update from the device manufacturer; users should ensure their devices are updated to the latest security patch level.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Update to the latest available Android version with the December 2022 Security Patch Level or later

  1. Check your Android device's current Android version and Security Patch Level in Settings > About Phone > Android version
  2. Verify if your device manufacturer has released a security update that addresses CVE-2022-20582 (Android Security Bulletin)
  3. If an update is available, install it via Settings > System > Software Update > Check for updates
  4. After updating, confirm the Security Patch Level reflects the month/year of the fix (December 2022 or later security patch level)
  5. If your device no longer receives security updates, consider upgrading to a device that receives regular security patches
Caveat Major Android version upgrades may cause app compatibility issues or require data backup due to factory reset requirements

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

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
12.0 hours of engineering $2,080
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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-2022-20582 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