CVE-2025-22420: Google Android Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-22420 Overview

CVE-2025-22420 affects the Android platform framework and allows local privilege escalation through a confused deputy weakness [CWE-441]. The flaw exists in multiple locations within the Android framework and enables an unprivileged local app to leak audio files across user profiles. Exploitation requires no additional execution privileges and no user interaction. Google addressed the issue in the December 2025 Android Security Bulletin covering Android 13, 14, 15, and 16.

Critical Impact
A local application can coerce a privileged system component into disclosing audio files that belong to other user profiles on the same device, breaking the multi-user isolation boundary.

Affected Products

Google Android 13.0
Google Android 14.0
Google Android 15.0 and 16.0

Discovery Timeline

2025-12-01 - Google publishes fix in the Android Security Bulletin
2025-12-08 - CVE-2025-22420 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-22420

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a confused deputy weakness [CWE-441] within the Android framework. A confused deputy occurs when a privileged component performs an action on behalf of a lower-privileged caller without correctly validating that the caller has rights to the targeted resource. In this case, the deputy component operates with permissions sufficient to access audio files across user profiles.

Android enforces isolation between primary users, secondary users, and work profiles. Audio files stored under one profile should be inaccessible to applications running under another profile. Because the framework fails to correctly attribute the requesting identity or scope the resource lookup, an application in one profile can obtain audio content owned by a different profile.

The local attack vector and low privilege requirement mean any installed application on the device can trigger the flaw. No user interaction is required, and successful exploitation results in disclosure of audio data owned by other users on the device.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or incorrect permission attribution inside framework code paths that mediate access to audio files. The privileged framework service uses its own identity rather than the calling application's identity when locating or returning audio content. Google's fix in the frameworks/base repository (commit fb8f76eca9079c34af3e14ee0a58bc10a580ec42) corrects this identity handling.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires a locally installed application on a multi-user Android device. The malicious app issues requests to the vulnerable framework interfaces that handle audio file resolution. The framework, acting as a confused deputy, returns audio content associated with other user profiles on the device. See the Android Security Bulletin December 2025 for the technical scope and the Android Framework Update commit for the corrected access-control logic.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-22420

Indicators of Compromise

Applications requesting audio-related content providers or media APIs at unusually high volume from an unprivileged process
Access patterns that cross Android user IDs (uid) or profile boundaries during media resolution
Unexpected file reads under /data/media/<user-id>/ originating from apps installed in a different profile

Detection Strategies

Monitor Android security logs and logcat output for framework audio service calls that resolve paths outside the caller's profile.
Use mobile threat defense telemetry to flag applications enumerating media across profile boundaries or invoking audio APIs at anomalous rates.
Review installed apps on multi-user devices for unsigned or sideloaded packages that request media access without a legitimate use case.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enroll Android endpoints in an MDM or EMM platform that reports patch level and can alert on devices running pre-December 2025 security patches.
Ingest mobile endpoint telemetry into a centralized analytics platform to correlate media access anomalies across the fleet.
Track Android Security Bulletin patch level per device and prioritize devices still on Android 13, 14, 15, or 16 without the December 2025 update.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-22420

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the December 2025 Android security patch level (2025-12-01 or later) to all affected devices as soon as OEM builds are available.
Prioritize patching devices configured with multiple user profiles, work profiles, or shared-device deployments.
Restrict installation of untrusted applications on multi-user devices until patches are deployed.

Patch Information

Google released the fix as part of the Android Security Bulletin December 2025. The framework correction is available in Android Framework Update (commit fb8f76eca9079c34af3e14ee0a58bc10a580ec42). Device patch delivery depends on the OEM and carrier, so verify the security patch level on each device after applying updates.

Workarounds

Limit the use of secondary user profiles or work profiles on unpatched devices that store sensitive audio content.
Enforce application allowlisting through MDM to reduce the risk of a malicious local app being installed.
Remove or disable third-party applications that request broad audio or media permissions without justification.

bash

# Verify the Android security patch level on a device via adb
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Expected output for patched devices: 2025-12-01 or later