CVE-2023-38292
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 · uneditedCertain software builds for the TCL 20XE Android device contain a vulnerable, pre-installed app with a package name of com.tct.gcs.hiddenmenuproxy (versionCode='2', versionName='v11.0.1.0.0201.0') that allows local third-party apps to programmatically perform a factory reset due to inadequate access control. No permissions or special privileges are necessary to exploit the vulnerability in the com.tct.gcs.hiddenmenuproxy app. No user interaction is required beyond installing and running a third-party app. The software build fingerprints for each confirmed vulnerable build are as follows: TCL/5087Z_BO/Doha_TMO:11/RP1A.200720.011/PB7I-0:user/release-keys and TCL/5087Z_BO/Doha_TMO:11/RP1A.200720.011/PB83-0:user/release-keys. This malicious app sends a broadcast intent to the exported com.tct.gcs.hiddenmenuproxy/.rtn.FactoryResetReceiver receiver component, which initiates a programmatic factory reset.
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 confidenceThe TCL 20XE device ships with a pre-installed app (com.tct.gcs.hiddenmenuproxy) containing an exported broadcast receiver (FactoryResetReceiver) that lacks proper access control. Any third-party app installed on the device can send a broadcast intent to this receiver to trigger a factory reset without any permissions or user interaction.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
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
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:N/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.
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Identify device modelCheck if the device is a TCL 20XE or other TCL device that may ship with the vulnerable pre-installed app. Use Settings > About Phone > Model Number, or run `getprop ro.product.model` via ADB shell.Affected if The device is a TCL 20XE or similar TCL model that ships with the pre-installed app.
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Check if vulnerable app is installedRun `pm list packages | grep com.tct.gcs.hiddenmenuproxy` via ADB shell, or use a package manager app to search for this package name.Affected if The package com.tct.gcs.hiddenmenuproxy is present on the device.
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Verify broadcast receiver is exportedRun `dumpsys package com.tct.gcs.hiddenmenuproxy` and look for the FactoryResetReceiver entry. Check if it shows android:exported="true" or no exported attribute (defaults to true for broadcast receivers).Affected if The FactoryResetReceiver has android:exported set to true or is implicitly exported (default behavior for broadcast receivers without explicit export setting).
The device is affected if it is a TCL 20XE (or related TCL model) with the com.tct.gcs.hiddenmenuproxy app present, as the FactoryResetReceiver is exported and allows any installed app to trigger a factory reset without authorization.
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.
From vendor dataThe vulnerable app must be updated to enforce proper authorization (e.g., signature-level permission) on the FactoryResetReceiver, or the dangerous factory reset functionality should be removed entirely. Users should apply manufacturer firmware updates when available.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-38292 — 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-2023-38292 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
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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