CVE-2025-22413: Google Android Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-22413 Overview

CVE-2025-22413 is a local information disclosure vulnerability affecting Google Android. The flaw resides in multiple functions of hyp-main.c, a component of the Android hypervisor code path. A logic error in this code enables a local actor to access information that should remain protected. Exploitation requires no user interaction and no additional execution privileges. Google addressed the issue in the Android Security Bulletin for March 2025. The vulnerability is tracked under [CWE-703] (Improper Check or Handling of Exceptional Conditions).

Critical Impact
A local logic error in hyp-main.c permits unauthorized read access to hypervisor-managed data on affected Android devices, exposing information confidentiality without requiring elevated privileges or user interaction.

Affected Products

Google Android (per Android Security Bulletin 2025-03-01)
Devices using the Android Generic Kernel Image (GKI) with the affected hyp-main.c hypervisor code
Builds prior to the March 2025 Android security patch level

Discovery Timeline

2025-08-26 - CVE-2025-22413 published to NVD
2025-09-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-22413

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in hyp-main.c, a source file in the Android kernel hypervisor (pKVM) implementation. Multiple functions in this file contain a logic error that mishandles state or boundary conditions during hypervisor request processing. As a result, a local unprivileged process can trigger paths that expose data the hypervisor should isolate from the host kernel or untrusted user space.

The issue is categorized as [CWE-703], indicating improper handling of exceptional or unexpected conditions. Because the hypervisor mediates trust boundaries between protected guests and the host, even a small logic flaw can leak fragments of memory or state information across that boundary. The Android Security Bulletin classifies the issue as a local information disclosure rather than full privilege escalation, since the attacker reads protected data but does not gain code execution.

Root Cause

The root cause is a logic error spanning multiple functions in hyp-main.c. The corrective commits referenced by Google (1a3366f0d3d9 and add3d68602a0) update the hypervisor entry-point handling to enforce stricter validation before returning data to the calling context. The original code permitted execution paths that did not properly account for exceptional input states.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access to an unpatched Android device. A malicious application or local process invokes the affected hypervisor interface and observes the returned values, which may contain residual or unintended data. No user interaction is required, and the attacker does not need elevated permissions on the device. The attack surface is limited to local execution, which constrains remote exploitation but raises risk on multi-tenant or rooted environments where untrusted code may already be running.

No public proof-of-concept exploit, exploit code, or in-the-wild exploitation has been reported. The CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog does not list CVE-2025-22413.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-22413

Indicators of Compromise

No public indicators of compromise have been published for CVE-2025-22413.
Devices reporting an Android security patch level earlier than 2025-03-01 should be considered exposed until updated.
Unexpected hypervisor-related kernel log messages on affected builds may warrant review, though no specific signatures have been disclosed.

Detection Strategies

Inventory Android devices and compare reported security patch level against the March 2025 baseline.
Use mobile device management (MDM) or enterprise mobility tooling to flag devices below patch level 2025-03-01.
Monitor for installation of untrusted applications on devices that have not received the March 2025 update.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enforce minimum Android security patch level policies in MDM compliance rules.
Track Android Security Bulletin updates and correlate device fleet patch status monthly.
Restrict sideloading and unknown sources on managed devices to reduce the population of local attackers.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-22413

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the Android security update with patch level 2025-03-01 or later on all affected devices.
Identify fleet devices that cannot receive the March 2025 update from the OEM and prioritize hardware refresh or vendor escalation.
Limit installation of unverified applications on unpatched devices until the patch is applied.

Patch Information

Google published the fix in the Android Security Bulletin March 2025. The corrective kernel changes are available in the Android Common Kernel repository under commits 1a3366f0d3d9b94a8c025d9863edc3b427435c4c and add3d68602a0c48ed2d5659f0cf26d869776ab35. Device makers ship the fix as part of their monthly security patch level updates.

Workarounds

No vendor-supplied workaround exists; patching is the recommended remediation.
Reduce exposure by restricting installation of untrusted applications and enforcing Google Play Protect on managed devices.
Apply enterprise policies that block local code execution from unverified sources until the patch is deployed.

bash

# Verify the Android security patch level on a connected device
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Expected output for remediated devices: 2025-03-01 or later