CVE-2023-21516
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 · uneditedXSS vulnerability from InstantPlay in Galaxy Store prior to version 4.5.49.8 allows attackers to execute javascript API to install APK from Galaxy Store.
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 confidenceCross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in the InstantPlay feature of Samsung's Galaxy Store (versions prior to 4.5.49.8) allows remote attackers to inject and execute arbitrary JavaScript code. This JavaScript execution can be leveraged to trigger the Galaxy Store's internal APIs to silently install malicious APK packages on the victim's device.
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< 4.5.49.8CVSS 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
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Check Galaxy Store app versionOn the Samsung device, go to Settings > Apps > Galaxy Store. Tap the three-dot menu and select 'App info' or view the version number displayed under the app name. Alternatively, open Galaxy Store and navigate to Settings > About to find the version.Affected if The displayed version is lower than 4.5.49.8 (for example, 4.5.49.7, 4.5.48.5, or any version starting with 4.5.x below 4.5.49.8)
-
Verify InstantPlay feature statusOpen Galaxy Store, go to Settings or Menu options, and look for an 'InstantPlay' or 'Quick install' setting. On some versions this may be found under 'Settings > General' or as a toggle within the store interface.Affected if InstantPlay is enabled (the toggle is in the ON position) on a vulnerable version of Galaxy Store
-
Confirm affected version rangeCross-reference the discovered version number with the vulnerable range. Any Galaxy Store version that begins with 4.5 and has a build number or version code lower than 4.5.49.8 is within the affected range.Affected if The installed version falls below 4.5.49.8 and InstantPlay is turned on
A device is affected if it runs Galaxy Store version 4.5.49.7 or any earlier version with the InstantPlay feature enabled, allowing malicious JavaScript to execute and trigger silent APK installations.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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 · scoped4.5.49.8
Update Galaxy Store to version 4.5.49.8 or later via the Samsung Galaxy Store application. Organizations should verify that managed devices have the latest Galaxy Store version installed and consider using MDM solutions to enforce automatic updates.
Galaxy Store version 4.5.49.8 or later
- Open Galaxy Store on your Samsung device
- Navigate to the Settings or Menu section within the app
- Check for app updates or navigate to the Galaxy Store version information
- Update Galaxy Store to version 4.5.49.8 or later to remediate the XSS vulnerability
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,408.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-21516 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-21516 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
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.
- 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