CVE-2025-48616: Google Android Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-48616 Overview

CVE-2025-48616 is a local information disclosure vulnerability in the Android operating system. The flaw resides in multiple functions of KeyguardViewMediator.java and stems from a logic error in how lockdown mode interacts with screen pinning. An attacker with local access to an unlocked device can bypass lockdown mode protections without requiring user interaction or elevated privileges. Google addressed the issue in the Android Security Bulletin June 2026.

Critical Impact

Local attackers can bypass Android lockdown mode using screen pinning, exposing information that should remain hidden when the device owner activates lockdown.

Affected Products

• Google Android 14.0
• Google Android 15.0
• Google Android 16.0 (including QPR2 Beta 1, Beta 2, and Beta 3)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-06-01 - Google publishes fix in the Android Security Bulletin for June 2026
• 2026-06-01 - CVE-2025-48616 published to NVD
• 2026-06-02 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-48616

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified as a logic error leading to information disclosure on Android devices. Lockdown mode is a user-invoked security feature that hides notifications and disables biometric unlock, forcing PIN, pattern, or password entry. Screen pinning, in contrast, restricts a device to a single application until the user explicitly exits the pinned state.

A logic flaw in KeyguardViewMediator.java allows the screen pinning state machine to override or bypass the security posture lockdown mode is intended to enforce. The result is that data which should be hidden behind lockdown becomes accessible while the device is in a pinned state. Exploitation requires no additional execution privileges and no user interaction beyond physical access to the device. The vulnerability does not allow code execution or modification of data, and the CWE is recorded as [NVD-CWE-noinfo].

Root Cause

The root cause is an improper state-handling condition within KeyguardViewMediator, the system service responsible for coordinating keyguard and lock-screen behavior. The lockdown enforcement check does not correctly account for screen-pinning state transitions, allowing the keyguard to expose protected UI surfaces.

Attack Vector

An attacker with brief physical access to an affected Android device can trigger screen pinning and leverage the keyguard logic gap to view content that lockdown mode would otherwise suppress. The attack vector is local, complexity is low, and no user interaction is required during exploitation. No public proof-of-concept or exploit is currently available, and the issue is not listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

No verified code example is available for this vulnerability. Refer to the Android Security Bulletin June 2026 for vendor technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-48616

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected transitions into screen pinning mode while the device is in lockdown state.
• Mobile device management (MDM) telemetry showing Android builds predating the June 2026 security patch level on enrolled devices.
• User reports of notification or content visibility while lockdown mode was believed to be active.

Detection Strategies

• Inventory managed Android endpoints and identify devices reporting a security patch level earlier than 2026-06-01.
• Correlate MDM compliance data with the affected Android versions (14.0, 15.0, 16.0) to prioritize remediation.
• Review keyguard and lock-screen related events surfaced by Android Enterprise logging where available.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Continuously monitor Android security patch level compliance through MDM or Unified Endpoint Management platforms.
• Alert when devices fall out of compliance with the organization's minimum required patch level.
• Track devices used by high-risk users (executives, administrators) for timely patch verification.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-48616

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the June 2026 Android security patch (patch level 2026-06-01 or later) to all managed devices.
• Prioritize patching for devices belonging to users who rely on lockdown mode as a privacy or anti-coercion control.
• Restrict physical access to devices that cannot yet receive the patch.

Patch Information

Google released the fix as part of the Android Security Bulletin June 2026. Devices reporting a security patch level of 2026-06-01 or later contain the corrected KeyguardViewMediator logic. OEM partners typically deliver this patch through staged over-the-air updates; enterprises should validate vendor-specific availability.

Workarounds

• Disable screen pinning through MDM policy on devices that cannot be patched immediately.
• Educate users who rely on lockdown mode to avoid leaving devices unattended in untrusted environments.
• Enforce short screen-lock timeouts to reduce the window of physical access required for exploitation.

# Verify the security patch level on an Android device via adb
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Expected output for a patched device: 2026-06-01 or later