CVE-2024-31328 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 03/02/2026
In broadcastIntentLockedTraced of BroadcastController.java, there is a possible way to launch arbitrary activities from the background on the paired companion phone due to a logic error in the code. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2024-31328 resides within the broadcast intent handling mechanism of Android's system framework, specifically in the broadcastIntentLockedTraced method of BroadcastController.java. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that allows for unauthorized activity launching from background processes on paired companion devices. The issue stems from a logic error in the permission checking and validation routines that govern how broadcast intents are processed and executed within the Android system. The vulnerability affects devices that support companion device pairing functionality, where the system fails to properly validate the source and intent of broadcast messages, particularly when these messages originate from background processes or services.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a flaw in the access control mechanisms that should normally prevent background processes from executing arbitrary activities on paired devices. The logic error occurs during the intent processing flow where the system does not adequately verify the legitimacy of the calling context or the permissions associated with the broadcast intent. This misconfiguration allows malicious actors to craft broadcast intents that bypass normal security restrictions and execute activities on the companion device without requiring user interaction or additional privileges. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates entirely within the system's trusted execution environment, making it difficult to detect and prevent through traditional security monitoring approaches.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables local privilege escalation without requiring additional execution privileges, meaning that any process running with basic user permissions could potentially exploit this flaw to gain elevated privileges on the paired companion device. The impact extends beyond simple activity launching to include potential system compromise and data access violations. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to execute malicious code, access sensitive information, or manipulate device functionality through the companion device pairing channel. The lack of user interaction requirement makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited automatically without any user awareness or consent, potentially leading to persistent threats that operate silently in the background.
The security implications of CVE-2024-31328 align with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through system weaknesses. Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing stricter validation of broadcast intent sources and enhancing the permission checking mechanisms within the BroadcastController.java component. System administrators should ensure that all devices are updated with the latest security patches and that companion device pairing is restricted to trusted environments only. Additional defensive measures include implementing network segmentation for paired devices, monitoring broadcast intent patterns for anomalous behavior, and conducting regular security audits of system-level components that handle inter-process communication. The vulnerability underscores the importance of robust access control implementation in Android's system services and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of inter-device communication mechanisms.