dbcve.org
AndroidOperating system · Samsung

CVE-2023-21446

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-02-09
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
57/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
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
Improper input validation in MyFiles prior to version 12.2.09 in Android R(11), 13.1.03.501 in Android S( 12) and 14.1.00.422 in Android T(13) allows local attacker to access data of MyFiles.

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 an improper input validation vulnerability in Samsung's MyFiles application for Android. A local attacker can exploit this flaw to bypass access controls and access data within the MyFiles app that they should not have permission to view. The vulnerability affects specific versions across Android R(11), S(12), and T(13).

MitigationUpdate MyFiles to version 12.2.09 or higher (Android R), 13.1.03.501 or higher (Android S), or 14.1.00.422 or higher (Android T) to patch the input validation vulnerability.

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:= 11.0= 12.0= 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
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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm MyFiles app is installed
    Open Settings > Apps on the Samsung Android device and search for 'MyFiles' or 'Files' in the application list. Alternatively, check for the MyFiles icon in the app drawer.
    Affected if MyFiles application is not found on the device, this CVE does not apply.
  2. Determine the Android OS version
    Go to Settings > About Phone > Android Version. Note whether the device is running Android 11 (R), Android 12 (S), or Android 13 (T).
    Affected if The vulnerability only affects Android R(11), S(12), and T(13). Devices on other Android versions are not affected by this specific CVE.
  3. Find the installed MyFiles version
    In Settings > Apps > MyFiles (or Files), tap on 'App info' or 'About app' to view the version number and version code. Record the exact version displayed.
    Affected if Unable to determine the MyFiles version, manual version comparison is required.
  4. Compare version against fixed thresholds
    For Android R(11): installed version must be >= 12.2.09. For Android S(12): installed version must be >= 13.1.03.501. For Android T(13): installed version must be >= 14.1.00.422. Compare your recorded version against the threshold for your Android version.
    Affected if The installed MyFiles version is lower than the required threshold for the Android version in use. The device is affected by this input validation vulnerability.

The device is affected if it runs Android 11, 12, or 13 with a MyFiles version lower than 12.2.09, 13.1.03.501, or 14.1.00.422 respectively.

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

Update MyFiles to version 12.2.09 or higher (Android R), 13.1.03.501 or higher (Android S), or 14.1.00.422 or higher (Android T) to patch the input validation vulnerability.

Recommended fix High confidence

MyFiles app version 12.2.09 (Android 11), 13.1.03.501 (Android 12), 14.1.00.422 (Android 13) or later via Galaxy Store or system software update

  1. Open Galaxy Store on the Samsung device
  2. Search for "MyFiles" or "Files" Samsung app
  3. Update MyFiles to version 12.2.09 or higher for Android 11, 13.1.03.501 or higher for Android 12, and 14.1.00.422 or higher for Android 13
  4. Alternatively, check for system software updates in Settings > Software update > Download and install
  5. Verify the MyFiles app version has been updated in Settings > Apps > MyFiles > App info
Caveat Standard app update - minimal risk; ensure device has sufficient battery before updating

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

Fix this in Android Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation2.0 h
  • Implementation2.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
8.0 hours of engineering $1,390
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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-2023-21446 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