CVE-2020-0214
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2020-0214 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in Android's NFC stack that could allow remote information disclosure without user interaction. It affects Android 10 devices, potentially exposing sensitive data to attackers.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android
📦 What is this software?
Android by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote attackers could read arbitrary memory from the NFC process, leading to disclosure of sensitive information such as authentication tokens or device identifiers.
Likely Case
Information leakage from the NFC stack, possibly exposing limited system data without full device compromise.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if patched; unpatched devices remain vulnerable to data exfiltration via NFC.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires NFC proximity and knowledge of the vulnerability, but no user interaction.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Android security patch level 2020-06-01 or later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel/2020-06-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for system updates in Settings > System > Advanced > System update. 2. Install the June 2020 security patch or later. 3. Reboot the device after installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable NFC
androidTurn off NFC to prevent exploitation via this vector.
Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > NFC > Toggle off
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Disable NFC in device settings to eliminate the attack surface.
- Restrict physical access to devices and monitor for suspicious NFC activity.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android version in Settings > About phone > Android version; if it's Android 10 and security patch level is before 2020-06-01, it's vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.release && adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify the security patch level is 2020-06-01 or later in Settings > About phone > Android security patch level.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual NFC activity logs in system logs or security events.
Network Indicators:
- N/A, as this is a local NFC-based vulnerability.
SIEM Query:
N/A for typical network SIEM; monitor device logs for NFC anomalies.