CVE-2025-20768: Google Android Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-20768 Overview

CVE-2025-20768 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability affecting the display driver component in Google Android devices running on MediaTek chipsets. The vulnerability arises from a missing bounds check in the display subsystem, which could allow an attacker who has already obtained System privileges to escalate their access further without any user interaction.

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-125 (Out-of-Bounds Read) and affects a wide range of MediaTek System-on-Chip (SoC) platforms used in Android smartphones and tablets. The local attack vector combined with the potential for privilege escalation makes this a significant security concern for enterprise mobile deployments.

Critical Impact

A malicious actor with System-level privileges can exploit this out-of-bounds read vulnerability to achieve local privilege escalation on affected Android devices running MediaTek chipsets, potentially gaining kernel-level access.

Affected Products

• Google Android 14.0, 15.0, and 16.0
• MediaTek MT6739, MT6761, MT6765, MT6768, MT6781, MT6789
• MediaTek MT6833, MT6835, MT6853, MT6855, MT6877, MT6878
• MediaTek MT6879, MT6883, MT6885, MT6886, MT6889, MT6893
• MediaTek MT6895, MT6897, MT6899, MT6983, MT6985, MT6989, MT6991

Discovery Timeline

• December 2, 2025 - CVE-2025-20768 published to NVD
• December 3, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-20768

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the display driver component of MediaTek chipsets running on Android operating systems. According to the CVSS v3.1 assessment, this vulnerability received a score of 7.8 (HIGH) with the vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

The CVSS metrics indicate:

• Attack Vector (AV:L): Local access is required to exploit this vulnerability
• Attack Complexity (AC:L): Low complexity to execute the attack
• Privileges Required (PR:L): Low-level privileges are needed, though the advisory specifies System privileges
• User Interaction (UI:N): No user interaction is necessary
• Impact: High impact on Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability

The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) rates this vulnerability at 0.005% probability of exploitation, placing it in the 21.1st percentile as of December 16, 2025.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-20768 is a missing bounds check in the display subsystem of MediaTek chipsets. When processing display-related operations, the driver fails to properly validate array indices or buffer boundaries before performing read operations. This absence of validation allows memory to be read beyond the intended boundaries of allocated buffers.

The vulnerability is tracked internally by MediaTek with Patch ID ALPS10196993 and Issue ID MSV-4805. The missing bounds check is a classic example of improper input validation that can lead to information disclosure or, in this case, privilege escalation when combined with other techniques.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access to the device and that the attacker has already compromised the system to obtain System-level privileges. From this position, the attacker can:

1. Interact with the vulnerable display driver through standard Android interfaces
2. Craft malicious input that triggers the out-of-bounds read condition
3. Leverage the leaked memory information to bypass security mechanisms
4. Escalate privileges beyond System level, potentially reaching kernel access

The fact that no user interaction is required means the attack can be automated once initial System access is achieved. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in scenarios involving malicious applications that have already gained elevated permissions through other means.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-20768

Indicators of Compromise

• Abnormal display driver activity or crashes in system logs
• Unexpected privilege escalation attempts from System-level processes
• Memory access violations in the display subsystem logged in dmesg or kernel logs
• Suspicious processes accessing /dev/ nodes related to display hardware

Detection Strategies

Organizations should implement monitoring for anomalous behavior in the display driver stack on Android devices with MediaTek chipsets. Key detection approaches include:

1. Kernel Log Analysis: Monitor for out-of-bounds access attempts or segmentation faults originating from display driver modules
2. SELinux/SEAndroid Denials: Watch for policy violations related to display driver access from unexpected contexts
3. Process Privilege Monitoring: Track privilege level changes for processes interacting with display components
4. Memory Forensics: Analyze device memory for signs of exploitation attempts targeting the display subsystem

Monitoring Recommendations

For enterprise environments managing Android fleets:

• Deploy Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions that can monitor kernel-level events
• Enable verbose logging for security-relevant events on managed devices
• Implement behavioral analysis to detect unusual display driver interactions
• Configure alerts for privilege escalation events on devices with affected MediaTek chipsets
• Use SentinelOne Mobile Threat Defense to detect and prevent exploitation attempts targeting Android vulnerabilities

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-20768

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the MediaTek security patch ALPS10196993 when available through device OEM updates
• Update affected Android devices to the latest security patch level from Google and device manufacturers
• Implement application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized applications from gaining System privileges
• Enable Google Play Protect and ensure it remains active on all managed devices
• Review and restrict permissions for applications running with elevated privileges

Patch Information

MediaTek has released a security bulletin addressing this vulnerability. The patch is identified as ALPS10196993 and addresses the missing bounds check in the display driver. Organizations should:

1. Monitor the MediaTek Product Security Bulletin for December 2025 for detailed patch information
2. Work with device OEMs to obtain firmware updates incorporating this fix
3. Prioritize patching based on device criticality and exposure

The vulnerability affects Android versions 14.0, 15.0, and 16.0 across a broad range of MediaTek chipsets, requiring coordination with multiple OEM vendors for comprehensive remediation.

Workarounds

If immediate patching is not possible, organizations should implement the following compensating controls:

• Restrict device access to trusted users and applications only
• Implement strict application vetting processes to prevent malicious apps from gaining System privileges
• Enable additional security layers such as work profiles or containerization
• Monitor devices for signs of compromise using endpoint detection solutions
• Consider isolating high-risk devices from sensitive corporate resources until patches are applied

Organizations using SentinelOne can leverage the Singularity Mobile platform to detect exploitation attempts and enforce security policies on Android devices, providing an additional layer of protection while awaiting vendor patches.