CVE-2021-0495
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2021-0495 is a memory management driver vulnerability in Android System-on-Chip (SoC) components that allows local privilege escalation through an uninitialized data out-of-bounds write. Attackers can exploit this without user interaction or additional execution privileges. This affects Android devices using vulnerable SoC implementations.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android devices with vulnerable SoC implementations
📦 What is this software?
Android by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete device compromise allowing attackers to gain root/system privileges, install persistent malware, access all user data, and bypass security controls.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation allowing malware or malicious apps to elevate permissions, access sensitive data, and perform unauthorized system operations.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper security updates applied and device security features enabled.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access but no user interaction; exploitation depends on specific SoC implementation details.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Android Security Bulletin May 2021 patches
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2021-05-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for Android system updates in Settings > System > Advanced > System update. 2. Install May 2021 or later security patches. 3. Reboot device after installation. 4. Verify patch installation in Settings > About phone > Android security patch level.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable unnecessary system components
androidReduce attack surface by disabling unused system services and features
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict app installation policies and only install from trusted sources
- Use mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies and monitor for suspicious activity
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android security patch level in Settings > About phone > Android security patch level. If date is before May 2021, device is likely vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Android security patch level shows May 2021 or later in Settings > About phone > Android security patch level.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic logs
- Memory corruption errors in dmesg
- Unexpected privilege escalation attempts
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from system processes
- Suspicious network activity from elevated processes
SIEM Query:
Process creation events with unexpected parent-child relationships or privilege escalation patterns