# CVE-2015-3839: Null dereference in n/a

> Local attackers can trigger a NULL pointer exception in the updateMessageStatus function, causing a process crash and denial of service on Android devices.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Aug 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8j27-8qpr-xpcx

## What is CVE-2015-3839?

CVE-2015-3839 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Google Android, published on 7 Aug 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The updateMessageStatus function in Android 5.1.1 and earlier allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer exception and process crash).

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-3839?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Google Android.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-3839?

No fix has been published for CVE-2015-3839 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2015-3839 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-3839 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- PoC of cve-2015-3839 which cause SMS app of Android Crash (DoS) (github_poc): https://github.com/Cecilia-newbie/cve-2015-3839_PoC

## Other vulnerabilities in Google Android

- [CVE-2026-58704](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-58704/): Google Pixel Improper Authorization (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-48543](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48543/): Android Runtime Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-35674](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-35674/): Android Framework Privilege Escalation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-48595](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48595/): Android Framework Integer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-32896](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-32896/): Android Pixel Privilege Escalation (high 8.1, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2015-3839 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-3839 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Google Android, published on 7 Aug 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-3839 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Google Android. 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-2015-3839/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3839/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-3839
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-3839
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-3839

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3839/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.