CVE-2011-1823
Android OS Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Description
CVE-2011-1823 is a privilege escalation vulnerability in the Android operating system that exploits the vold volume manager daemon to gain root privileges. The vold daemon trusts messages received from a PF_NETLINK socket without proper validation, allowing a local attacker to send crafted messages that trigger arbitrary code execution with root-level access. This vulnerability is associated with the well-known GingerBreak exploit and the Exploit.AndroidOS.Lotoor malware family, which were widely used to root Android devices. CISA has added CVE-2011-1823 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, and with an EPSS score of 34.4% (97th percentile), the exploitation probability remains high.
KEV Information
CVSS Score
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HOpen in CalculatorAffected Products
| Vendor | Product | Version |
|---|---|---|
| android | >= 2.0, < 2.3.4; 3.0 |
Multiple CVSS Assessments
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/system/core.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=b620a0b1c7ae486e979826200e8e441605b0a5d6(Broken Link)
- http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/system/netd.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=79b579c92afc08ab12c0a5788d61f2dd2934836f(Broken Link)
- http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=platform/system/vold.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=c51920c82463b240e2be0430849837d6fdc5352e(Broken Link)
- http://androidcommunity.com/gingerbreak-root-for-gingerbread-app-20110421/(Broken Link)
- http://c-skills.blogspot.com/2011/04/yummy-yummy-gingerbreak.html(Exploit, Issue Tracking)
- http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1044765(Exploit, Issue Tracking)
- http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/05/03/google-patches-gingerbreak-exploit-but-dont-worry-we-still-have-root-for-now/(Press/Media Coverage)
- http://xorl.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/android-vold-mpartminors-signedness-issue/(Exploit)
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/67977(Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry)
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2011-1823(US Government Resource)
Weakness Type
CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management
CVE-2011-1823 exploits an improper privilege management weakness in the Android vold volume manager daemon, which runs with root privileges but fails to properly validate the source and content of messages received via PF_NETLINK sockets. By trusting unauthenticated messages from these sockets, the daemon allows unprivileged processes to trigger privileged operations, resulting in a complete breakdown of the privilege boundary between user-space applications and root-level system services.
Learn more: CWE-269 — Improper Privilege Management
Impact Analysis
CVE-2011-1823 represents a critical privilege escalation threat to Android devices. The vulnerability is exploitable locally by any application running on the device, requiring no special permissions or user interaction. Successful exploitation grants root-level access to the Android operating system, allowing an attacker to bypass all application sandboxing, access all user data including contacts, messages, and photos, install persistent malware that survives factory resets, modify system-level configurations, and intercept all communications. The association with the GingerBreak rooting tool and Exploit.AndroidOS.Lotoor malware indicates that this vulnerability has been extensively weaponized for both legitimate rooting purposes and malicious exploitation. With an EPSS score of 34.4% (97th percentile), exploitation activity remains significant.
Exploit Maturity
CISA has confirmed active exploitation of CVE-2011-1823 in the wild by adding it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. The EPSS score of 34.4% (97th percentile) reflects high exploitation probability, driven by the wide availability of the GingerBreak exploit tool and the Exploit.AndroidOS.Lotoor malware family. Public exploit code has been available since 2011, and the vulnerability was one of the most widely used Android rooting vectors during the Android 2.x and 3.x era. While the vulnerability primarily affects older Android versions, many devices running these versions remain in use worldwide, particularly in regions with slower device upgrade cycles. No specific ransomware campaigns are currently associated with this CVE.
Remediation
- Apply Android updates per vendor instructions: Per the CISA KEV required action, apply updates provided by device manufacturers that patch the vold daemon vulnerability. The fix was included in Android security updates from Google.
- Upgrade to a supported Android version: Devices running Android versions affected by CVE-2011-1823 (primarily Android 2.x and 3.x) should be upgraded to Android 4.0 or later, which includes the vold daemon fix and numerous other security improvements.
- Replace devices that cannot be updated: For Android devices that are no longer supported by their manufacturers and cannot receive security updates, replace them with newer devices running currently supported Android versions with ongoing security patch support.
- Deploy mobile device management (MDM) solutions: Implement MDM policies to detect rooted devices and restrict access to sensitive corporate resources from devices running vulnerable Android versions.
- Monitor for root exploit indicators: On managed devices, use endpoint security solutions to detect signs of root exploitation, including unexpected privilege escalation, modification of system partitions, or presence of known rooting tools like GingerBreak.
Technical Details
CVE-2011-1823 targets the vold (volume daemon) process in the Android operating system, which is responsible for managing external storage volumes such as SD cards and USB drives. The vold daemon runs with root privileges and communicates with the kernel and other system components via Netlink sockets (PF_NETLINK). The vulnerability exists because vold blindly trusts messages received on the Netlink socket without verifying the sender's identity or privilege level. An unprivileged application can create a PF_NETLINK socket and send crafted messages that are indistinguishable from legitimate kernel messages. By sending specifically formatted volume management commands, the attacker can cause vold to execute operations with root privileges that would normally be restricted to the kernel, ultimately achieving arbitrary code execution as root. The GingerBreak exploit leverages this mechanism to gain a root shell on affected devices, bypassing Android's application sandboxing entirely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2011-1823 being actively exploited?
Yes. CISA has added CVE-2011-1823 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, confirming active exploitation. The vulnerability is associated with the GingerBreak exploit tool and Exploit.AndroidOS.Lotoor malware. With an EPSS score of 34.4% (97th percentile), exploitation remains significant. No ransomware campaigns are currently associated.
What products are affected by CVE-2011-1823?
CVE-2011-1823 affects the Android operating system, primarily versions 2.x (Gingerbread) and 3.x (Honeycomb). The vulnerability is in the vold volume manager daemon, which is a core system component present on all Android devices running these versions.
How do I fix CVE-2011-1823?
Update the Android device to a version that includes the fix for the vold daemon vulnerability, ideally Android 4.0 or later. For devices that can no longer receive updates, CISA recommends replacing them with newer, supported hardware. Deploy MDM solutions to detect and quarantine rooted devices.
How severe is CVE-2011-1823?
CVE-2011-1823 is a critical privilege escalation vulnerability that grants root access on Android devices. The EPSS score of 34.4% (97th percentile) reflects high exploitation probability. Root access bypasses all security boundaries on the device, enabling complete data theft, persistent malware installation, and total device compromise.
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