CVE-2025-20800: Google Android Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-20800 Overview

CVE-2025-20800 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability discovered in the MediaTek mminfra component affecting multiple Android devices running MediaTek chipsets. The vulnerability stems from a missing bounds check that could allow a malicious actor who has already obtained System privileges to escalate their privileges further. No user interaction is required for exploitation, making this a particularly concerning vulnerability for affected Android devices.

Critical Impact

Local privilege escalation vulnerability requiring no user interaction that could allow attackers with existing System privileges to gain additional elevated access on affected Android devices with MediaTek chipsets.

Affected Products

• Google Android 14.0, 15.0, and 16.0
• MediaTek MT2718 chipset
• MediaTek MT6899 chipset
• MediaTek MT6989 chipset
• MediaTek MT6991 chipset
• MediaTek MT8678 chipset
• MediaTek MT8793 chipset

Discovery Timeline

• January 6, 2026 - CVE-2025-20800 published to NVD
• January 8, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-20800

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-787 (Out-of-Bounds Write), which occurs when a program writes data past the end or before the beginning of an intended memory buffer. In the case of CVE-2025-20800, the mminfra component in MediaTek chipsets fails to properly validate input boundaries before performing write operations.

The mminfra component is part of MediaTek's multimedia infrastructure subsystem, which handles various multimedia processing tasks on Android devices. When exploited, this vulnerability allows an attacker with System-level privileges to write arbitrary data to memory locations outside the intended buffer, potentially corrupting adjacent memory structures or overwriting critical system data.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is a missing bounds check in the mminfra component. When processing certain inputs, the component fails to verify that the data being written fits within the allocated buffer space. This programming oversight allows write operations to extend beyond the intended memory boundaries, creating an exploitable condition.

The vulnerability is tracked internally by MediaTek as Patch ID: ALPS10267349 and Issue ID: MSV-5033.

Attack Vector

This vulnerability requires local access to the device, meaning an attacker must have some form of existing access to exploit it. The attack scenario involves:

1. An attacker first gains System-level privileges on the target Android device through other means
2. The attacker then exploits the missing bounds check in mminfra by crafting malicious input
3. The out-of-bounds write allows the attacker to corrupt memory and potentially execute code with elevated privileges
4. No user interaction is required once the attacker has System access

The vulnerability is characterized by a local attack vector with low complexity requirements. While the prerequisite of having System privileges limits the initial attack surface, this vulnerability could be chained with other exploits as part of a privilege escalation attack chain.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-20800

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual memory access patterns or crashes in multimedia processing components
• Unexpected privilege escalation attempts originating from System-level processes
• Anomalous behavior in mminfra component or related MediaTek drivers
• System instability or crashes related to multimedia infrastructure operations

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for abnormal system calls or memory operations from multimedia components on affected MediaTek devices
• Implement application-level monitoring to detect privilege escalation attempts
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying exploitation of memory corruption vulnerabilities
• Review system logs for suspicious activity involving MediaTek chipset components

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging for system-level processes and multimedia components
• Deploy SentinelOne Singularity platform for real-time detection of exploitation attempts
• Establish baseline behavior for mminfra operations and alert on deviations
• Implement memory protection monitoring to detect out-of-bounds write attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-20800

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the latest Android security updates from your device manufacturer that include the MediaTek patch
• Review device configurations to ensure only trusted applications have elevated privileges
• Enable automatic security updates on affected devices where possible
• Consider restricting device functionality if patches cannot be immediately applied

Patch Information

MediaTek has released a security patch addressing this vulnerability. The fix is tracked as Patch ID: ALPS10267349. Device manufacturers integrating MediaTek chipsets should incorporate this patch into their Android security updates. End users should apply the latest security updates from their device manufacturers as soon as they become available.

For detailed patch information, refer to the MediaTek Security Bulletin January 2026.

Workarounds

• Limit installation of applications from untrusted sources to reduce the attack surface
• Implement mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies
• Restrict application permissions and minimize the number of apps with elevated privileges
• Monitor for and remove applications that exhibit suspicious behavior or request unnecessary permissions

# Verify Android security patch level on affected devices
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Expected output should show a patch date that includes the fix for CVE-2025-20800
# Check device for MediaTek chipset
adb shell getprop ro.hardware