# CVE-2023-20938 — Android

> As of 2024-08-02, CVE-2023-20938 is a HIGH-severity vulnerability in Android, CVSS v3.1 8.1, EPSS 0.3% (25.0th percentile). Threadlinqs Intelligence links 1 tracked threat campaign to CVE-2023-20938, most recently “Android Exploit Chain — Saito Tech Commercial Spyware: ART Runtime RCE, Binder UAF LPE, Pixel Bootloader Persistence (CVE-2026-22104, CVE-2026-22107, CVE-2026-22112)”.

**Last updated:** 2024-08-02

## What is CVE-2023-20938?

In binder_transaction_buffer_release of binder.c, there is a possible use after free due to improper input validation. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android kernelAndroid ID: A-257685302References: Upstream kernel

The record classifies CVE-2023-20938 under weakness class [CWE-416](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cwe/CWE-416). Its CVSS v3 base vector states that the flaw is reachable remotely over the network, needs no prior authentication, needs no user interaction, and has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, availability. 1 affected-product entry is recorded, across 1 vendor, listed below. The identifier was first published 1343 days ago.

## Severity and exploitation probability

- **CVSS v3.1 base score:** 8.1 — HIGH (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **EPSS (FIRST):** 0.3% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 25.0% of all scored CVEs
- **CISA KEV:** Not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog
- **Threadlinqs priority:** 7.1/10 — a Threadlinqs composite of the CVSS base score, the EPSS percentile and public exploit availability
- **Published:** 2023-02-28, last modified 2024-08-02

## Is CVE-2023-20938 being exploited?

Weaponised exploit code for CVE-2023-20938 is publicly available. 4 public proof-of-concept repositories are tracked for this identifier. It currently carries a trending score of 19 in the Threadlinqs vulnerability feed.

- [jaf0rk/CVE-2023-20938](https://github.com/jaf0rk/CVE-2023-20938) (github)
- [0xAtharv/CVE-2023-20938-Public](https://github.com/0xAtharv/CVE-2023-20938-Public) (github)
- [byt3quester/CVE-2023-20938-poc](https://github.com/byt3quester/CVE-2023-20938-poc) (github)
- [trickest/cve](https://github.com/trickest/cve/blob/main/2023/CVE-2023-20938.md) (trickest)

## Affected products and versions

- **(vendor unspecified)**: Android

## How to fix CVE-2023-20938

No vendor patch reference has been recorded for CVE-2023-20938 in the tracked sources. Follow the references below for a fix, and treat the products listed above as exposed until the vendor states otherwise.

## Threat activity tracking CVE-2023-20938

1 tracked threat in the Threadlinqs corpus references CVE-2023-20938, either in the campaign’s CVE list or as an indicator on the campaign record.

- [Android Exploit Chain — Saito Tech Commercial Spyware: ART Runtime RCE, Binder UAF LPE, Pixel Bootloader Persistence (CVE-2026-22104, CVE-2026-22107, CVE-2026-22112)](https://intel.threadlinqs.com/threat/TL-2026-0177) — CRITICAL · 2026-03-06

## Sources

Enriched from CVE.org, FIRST EPSS, GitHub Security Advisories, public proof-of-concept repositories. Last verified by Threadlinqs on 2026-10-10.

**Other references**

- [source.android.com](https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2023-02-01)

Canonical: https://intel.threadlinqs.com/cve/CVE-2023-20938
Full detection coverage and IOCs for threats exploiting CVE-2023-20938 via the Threadlinqs MCP server (Purple tier): https://intel.threadlinqs.com/mcp