CVE-2022-20186
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in the Android kernel's Mali GPU driver allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code without user interaction. It enables privilege escalation from a standard user to root/system-level access. Affects Android devices with vulnerable kernel versions.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android devices with Arm Mali GPU
📦 What is this software?
Android by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete device compromise with root access, allowing installation of persistent malware, data theft, and bypassing all security controls.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data and system resources.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if devices are patched or have strict SELinux policies and app sandboxing enforced.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit requires local access but no user interaction; proof-of-concept code is publicly available.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Android June 2022 security patch or later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel/2022-06-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Apply June 2022 Android security patch. 2. Update kernel to patched version. 3. Reboot device.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict local access
allLimit physical and remote local access to vulnerable devices
Enhanced SELinux policies
linuxImplement strict SELinux policies to limit privilege escalation impact
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Isolate vulnerable devices from critical networks and data
- Implement application allowlisting to prevent malicious code execution
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android security patch level: Settings > About phone > Android security patch level. If before June 2022, likely vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify Android security patch level shows June 2022 or later.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic logs
- SELinux denials related to Mali GPU driver
- Unusual privilege escalation attempts
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Android devices post-exploitation
SIEM Query:
source="android_kernel" AND (mali OR kbase) AND (panic OR oops)🔗 References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172852/Android-Arm-Mali-GPU-Arbitrary-Code-Execution.html
- https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel/2022-06-01
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172852/Android-Arm-Mali-GPU-Arbitrary-Code-Execution.html
- https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel/2022-06-01
