In the April 2023 Android Security Bulletin, Google announced the discovery of critical security vulnerabilities that can impact Android devices running versions 11, 12, 12L, and 13. These vulnerabilities include two critical remote code execution (RCE) vulnerabilities and one vulnerability that has been exploited in the wild.
It is crucial for Android device users to update their devices to address these vulnerabilities and prevent any potential cyber threats.
What is the April 2023 Android Security Bulletin?
The Android Security Bulletin is a monthly report by Google that provides updates on the security vulnerabilities that affect Android devices. In the April 2023 report, Google disclosed several security vulnerabilities, including two critical remote code execution vulnerabilities and one vulnerability that has been exploited in the wild.
Two Critical Remote Code Execution Vulnerabilities
The first critical vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-21085, exists within the System component and allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code. This vulnerability is a result of improper input validation within the System component. A remote attacker can trick the victim into opening a malicious file, which can execute arbitrary code and gain control of the device.
The second critical vulnerability, identified as CVE-2023-21096, also exists within the System component and allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code. This vulnerability is also a result of improper input validation within the System component. Like the first vulnerability, a remote attacker can trick the victim into opening a malicious file and execute arbitrary code on the device.
One Vulnerability Exploited in the Wild
The vulnerability known as CVE-2022-38181 is currently being exploited in the wild. This vulnerability exists in the Arm Mali GPU kernel driver, which allows unprivileged users to access freed memory due to mishandling of GPU memory operations. This use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability allows a local application to escalate privileges on the system, which can trigger memory corruption and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.
How to Check and Update Your Android Device
If your Android device has the security patch level 2023-04-05 or later, it will address all the critical vulnerabilities mentioned in the April 2023 Android Security Bulletin.
To check if your device is updated or to check for any available updates, go to your device’s Settings app, and under “About phone” or “About device,” tap on “Software updates.” While most phones have similar procedures, there may be slight differences based on the brand, type, and Android version of your device.
Stay Safe with Regular Security Updates
Updating your Android device regularly can help you stay safe from any potential security vulnerabilities. Although Android partners are notified of all security issues at least a month before publication, this doesn’t always mean that the patches are available for devices from all vendors. Therefore, it is important to check for updates regularly and keep your device updated to the latest security patch level.
Dimitris is an Information Technology and Cybersecurity professional with more than 20 years of experience in designing, building and maintaining efficient and secure IT infrastructures.
Among others, he is a certified: CISSP, CISA, CISM, ITIL, COBIT and PRINCE2, but his wide set of knowledge and technical management capabilities go beyond these certifications. He likes acquiring new skills on penetration testing, cloud technologies, virtualization, network security, IoT and many more.
