CVE-2020-0102
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows local privilege escalation on Android devices through an out-of-bounds write in the Bluetooth GATT server component. An attacker with user execution privileges could exploit this to gain elevated system access without requiring user interaction. Affects Android versions 8.0 through 10.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android
📦 What is this software?
Android by Google
Android by Google
Android by Google
Android by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete device compromise allowing attacker to execute arbitrary code with system privileges, potentially installing persistent malware or accessing sensitive data.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation allowing malicious apps to bypass sandbox restrictions and access system resources or other apps' data.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if devices are patched, have Bluetooth disabled, or run security software that detects exploitation attempts.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires user execution privileges initially. Exploitation involves crafting malicious Bluetooth GATT packets to trigger the out-of-bounds write.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Android Security Patch Level 2020-05-01 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2020-05-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for Android system updates in Settings > System > Advanced > System update. 2. Install the May 2020 security patch or later. 3. Reboot device after installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable Bluetooth
androidTurn off Bluetooth to prevent exploitation via the vulnerable GATT server component
adb shell settings put global bluetooth_on 0
Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Bluetooth > Toggle off
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable Bluetooth when not in use to reduce attack surface
- Restrict installation of untrusted applications to prevent initial user execution privilege acquisition
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android version and security patch level in Settings > About phone > Android version and Security patch levelCheck Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify security patch level is 2020-05-01 or later in Settings > About phone📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual Bluetooth GATT server activity
- Process privilege escalation attempts
- Crash logs from gatt_server process
Network Indicators:
- Malformed Bluetooth GATT packets
- Unusual Bluetooth connection patterns
SIEM Query:
source="android_logs" AND (process="gatt_server" AND error="out_of_bounds") OR (event="privilege_escalation" AND component="bluetooth")