dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Google

CVE-2023-20964

HIGH · 7.8 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-03-24
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 multiple functions of MediaSessionRecord.java, there is a possible Intent rebroadcast due to a confused deputy. This could lead to local denial of service or escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-12 Android-12L Android-13Android ID: A-238177121

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

In multiple functions of MediaSessionRecord.java (Android media session management), an Intent rebroadcast vulnerability exists where the component can be tricked into rebroadcasting Intents with its own privileges due to a confused deputy issue. This allows a local attacker to potentially escalate privileges or cause denial of service without needing additional execution privileges or user interaction.

MitigationApply the vendor security patch for Android (versions 12, 12L, 13) containing the fix for A-238177121. This is a system-level Android framework vulnerability requiring a platform update rather than application-level remediation.

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:= 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. Check Android version
    Go to Settings > About Phone > Android version, or run 'adb shell getprop ro.build.version.release'
    Affected if The version is exactly 12.0, 12.1, or 13.0
  2. Check security patch level
    Go to Settings > About Phone > Security patch level, or run 'adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch'
    Affected if The patch level is earlier than the vendor fix date for A-238177121 (the specific date varies by carrier/device)
  3. Verify via system properties
    Run 'adb shell getprop' and look for 'ro.build.version.sdk' (should be 31, 32, or 33 for affected versions) and 'ro.build.version.security_patch'
    Affected if SDK version corresponds to Android 12.0 (31), 12.1 (32), or 13.0 (33) and security patch is unpatched

You are affected if your device runs Android 12.0, 12.1, or 13.0 and has not received the vendor security patch containing the fix for A-238177121.

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 vendor security patch for Android (versions 12, 12L, 13) containing the fix for A-238177121. This is a system-level Android framework vulnerability requiring a platform update rather than application-level remediation.

Recommended fix High confidence

Android 12 (Security Patch Level 2023-03-05 or later), Android 12L (Security Patch Level 2023-03-05 or later), Android 13 (Security Patch Level 2023-03-05 or later)

  1. Verify the current Android security patch level on the device by going to Settings > About Phone > Security Patch Level
  2. Ensure the device receives and installs the March 2023 Android Security Bulletin update (Security Patch Level 2023-03-05 or later)
  3. For enterprise or managed devices, deploy the security update through your mobile device management (MDM) console
  4. After updating, verify the security patch level reflects 2023-03-05 or later to confirm the vulnerability is patched
Caveat Minimal risk - monthly security updates are cumulative and do not typically introduce breaking changes; ensure device is charged and on stable connection during update

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

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,920
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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-2023-20964 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