dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2023-20920

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-01-26
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 queue of UsbRequest.java, there is a possible way to corrupt memory due to a use after free. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-10 Android-11 Android-12 Android-12L Android-13Android ID: A-204584366

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 confidence

A use-after-free vulnerability exists in the queue implementation of UsbRequest.java within the Android USB framework. The issue allows memory to be accessed after it has been freed, leading to memory corruption that can be exploited for local privilege escalation without requiring user interaction or additional execution privileges.

MitigationApply the Android security patch for the relevant monthly bulletin (this vulnerability was fixed in Android's Security Bulletin). Organizations should ensure devices receive timely platform updates and consider restricting USB debugging access as a defense-in-depth measure.

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:= 10.0= 11.0= 12.0= 12.1= 13.0

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
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. Verify Android version
    Go to Settings > About Phone > Android version and note the exact version number displayed
    Affected if The version is exactly 10.0, 11.0, 12.0, 12.1, or 13.0
  2. Confirm USB debugging status
    Go to Settings > Developer Options > USB debugging (or Settings > System > Developer Options > USB debugging on some devices) and check if it is enabled
    Affected if USB debugging is enabled - this is the primary attack vector for exploiting this flaw
  3. Check security patch level
    Go to Settings > About Phone > Security patch level and note the date of the last security update
    Affected if The security patch level is earlier than the month the CVE was fixed in the Android Security Bulletin (refer to the Android Security Bulletin for the specific fix date)
  4. Review app permissions
    Check which apps have USB permission access - go to Settings > Apps > Special app access > USB audio forwarding and other USB-related permissions
    Affected if Unknown or untrusted apps have been granted USB-related permissions, which could be leveraged in conjunction with this vulnerability

The device is likely affected if it runs Android 10.0, 11.0, 12.0, 12.1, or 13.0 and has not received the corresponding security patch that addresses this use-after-free vulnerability in the USB framework.

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 security patch for the relevant monthly bulletin (this vulnerability was fixed in Android's Security Bulletin). Organizations should ensure devices receive timely platform updates and consider restricting USB debugging access as a defense-in-depth measure.

Recommended fix High confidence

Android 13 (or latest available Android version with March 2023 security patch level)

  1. 1. Check the current Android version on the device by navigating to Settings > About Phone > Android version
  2. 2. Verify the device is eligible for Android 13 OTA update by checking with the device manufacturer or carrier
  3. 3. Ensure the device has sufficient battery (at least 50%) and is connected to Wi-Fi before initiating the update
  4. 4. Navigate to Settings > System > Software Update (or Settings > About Phone > System Update)
  5. 5. Check for updates and download the Android 13 update if available
  6. 6. Install the update and allow the device to restart
  7. 7. After update, verify the Android version shows Android 13 and confirm the security patch level is March 2023 or later via Settings > About Phone > Security patch level
Caveat Upgrading to a new major Android version may cause compatibility issues with older apps, require re-configuration of settings, and may not be available for all devices depending on manufacturer support

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

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing8.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
24.0 hours of engineering $4,160
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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-2023-20920 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
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data