# CVE-2012-6422: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Attackers can gain privileges and read/write arbitrary physical memory via a crafted application due to weak permissions on the exynos-mem device file.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Dec 2012
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-x6p7-m2w8-2w25

## What is CVE-2012-6422?

CVE-2012-6422 is a critical vulnerability in n/a, published on 18 Dec 2012. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The kernel in Samsung Galaxy S2, Galaxy Note 2, MEIZU MX, and possibly other Android devices, when running an Exynos 4210 or 4412 processor, uses weak permissions (0666) for /dev/exynos-mem, which allows attackers to read or write arbitrary physical memory and gain privileges via a crafted application, as demonstrated by ExynosAbuse.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-6422?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Meizu Mx, Samsung Galaxy Note 2, Samsung Galaxy S2.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-6422?

No fix has been published for CVE-2012-6422 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2012-6422 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-6422 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- An exploitation for the /dev/exynos-mem vulnerability introduced in earlier samsung phones. (github_poc): https://github.com/wired0ut/CVE-2012-6422

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-6422 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-6422 is a critical vulnerability in n/a, published on 18 Dec 2012. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-6422 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6422/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6422/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-6422
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-6422
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-6422

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6422/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.