CVE-2022-20469 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 12/13/2022
In avct_lcb_msg_asmbl of avct_lcb_act.cc, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege over Bluetooth with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-10 Android-11 Android-12 Android-12L Android-13Android ID: A-230867224
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/16/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-20469 represents a critical out-of-bounds write flaw within the Android Bluetooth subsystem, specifically within the avct_lcb_msg_asmbl function located in avct_lcb_act.cc. This issue resides in the Bluetooth AVCTP (Audio Video Control Transport Protocol) layer responsible for managing audio and video control messages between Bluetooth devices. The flaw manifests as a missing bounds check during message assembly operations, creating a potential pathway for privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability affects multiple Android versions including Android 10 through Android 13, indicating a widespread exposure across the Android platform ecosystem. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-787, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds write conditions, making it a well-documented and serious security concern within the software security community.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through Bluetooth communication channels without requiring any user interaction or additional execution privileges, which significantly lowers the attack barrier. The flaw allows an attacker to potentially execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges by crafting malicious Bluetooth messages that trigger the out-of-bounds write condition. When the Bluetooth stack processes these malformed messages, the missing bounds check enables memory corruption that can be leveraged to gain local privilege escalation. The attack vector is particularly concerning because Bluetooth communication typically occurs at the system level where applications and services have elevated permissions, making successful exploitation potentially devastating for device security.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to Android devices that utilize Bluetooth functionality, which encompasses virtually all modern smartphones, tablets, and IoT devices running affected Android versions. The local privilege escalation capability means that an attacker with proximity to a target device could potentially gain root access to the system, enabling complete control over device functions including data exfiltration, persistent backdoor installation, and system modification. The absence of user interaction requirements makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited silently in the background without any indication to the device user. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through software vulnerabilities, and T1059, covering command and scripting interpreter usage for exploitation purposes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-20469 should prioritize immediate patch deployment through official Android security updates, as this vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that requires urgent remediation. Organizations should implement Bluetooth communication monitoring to detect anomalous message patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts, while also considering network segmentation to limit Bluetooth exposure in enterprise environments. The vulnerability's nature as a bounds check failure suggests that code review and static analysis should be conducted on similar Bluetooth stack components to identify potential related vulnerabilities. Additionally, device administrators should disable unnecessary Bluetooth functionality when not in use and maintain strict firmware update policies to ensure all systems remain protected against this and similar vulnerabilities. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to verify that patches do not introduce regressions in Bluetooth functionality while ensuring the bounds check is properly enforced throughout the affected code path.