Android Kernel Binder Driver Out-of-Bounds Write Local Privilege Escalation (CVE-2020-0041)
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTMobile devices and embedded systems running vulnerable Android Kernel versions
A local attacker can perform an out-of-bounds write in kernel memory without any user interaction, leading to full local privilege escalation (LPE) to root
Apply the Android March 2020 Security Bulletin updates or merge the corresponding upstream kernel patches
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
For Android OEMs and kernel developers, merge the official patch from the Android Common Kernel repository and rebuild the kernel image.
# Navigate to your Android kernel source directory
cd /path/to/android/kernel/common
# Fetch and merge the patched branch (e.g., android-4.19-q)
git fetch https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/common android-4.19-q
git merge FETCH_HEAD
# Recompile the kernel
make ARCH=arm64 defconfig
make ARCH=arm64 -j$(nproc)2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, enforce strict SELinux policies to restrict untrusted applications from interacting with the Binder driver.
# Force SELinux into Enforcing mode
adb shell setenforce 1
# Verify SELinux policy restrictions for untrusted apps
adb shell getenforce3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following script to audit the target device's security patch level and determine vulnerability status.
# Retrieve the security patch level from the device
PATCH_LEVEL=$(adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch)
echo 'Device Security Patch Level:' $PATCH_LEVEL
# Compare patch level with the fixed release date (2020-03-01)
if [ '$(date -d $PATCH_LEVEL +%s)' -lt '$(date -d '2020-03-01' +%s)' ]; then
echo '[ALERT] Device is vulnerable to CVE-2020-0041. Update required.'
else
echo '[OK] Device is patched against CVE-2020-0041.'
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Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability exists in the Android IPC mechanism's core driver, specifically within the binder_transaction function in drivers/android/binder.c. Due to an incorrect bounds check when parsing transaction buffers and offsets, the kernel fails to validate the boundaries of user-supplied data. This leads to an out-of-bounds (OOB) write condition (CWE-20 / CWE-787), allowing memory corruption within the kernel space.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
A local malicious application can exploit this vulnerability by crafting a malicious Binder transaction payload. When the application sends this payload via the Binder IPC interface, the flawed bounds check in binder_transaction allows the attacker to overwrite adjacent kernel heap structures. Since no user interaction or special execution privileges are required, this vulnerability is highly reliable for escaping application sandboxes and gaining root privileges.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
As this vulnerability is cataloged in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV), it has been actively exploited in the wild. In an enterprise environment, successful exploitation on corporate mobile devices (BYOD) allows attackers to bypass all security controls, compromise sensitive corporate data, intercept communications, and establish a persistent foothold within the internal network.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
In binder_transaction of binder.c, there is a possible out of bounds write due to an incorrect bounds check. 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-145988638References: Upstream kernel
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2020-0041)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2020-0041 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2020-0041 is rated CVSS 7.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 3.2%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2020-0041?
Primary impacted vendors include google, linux across android, linux_kernel. Scope summary: All Android devices running kernel versions prior to the March 2020 security patch level
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2020-0041 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the Android March 2020 Security Bulletin updates or merge the corresponding upstream kernel patches Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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