# CVE-2019-2215: Android Kernel Use-After-Free

> A use-after-free in the Android kernel binder driver allows local attackers to escalate privileges to kernel level.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Oct 2019
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2019-2215, GHSA-m7g6-9cwp-6jgm, UBUNTU-CVE-2019-2215

## What is CVE-2019-2215?

CVE-2019-2215 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 11 Oct 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A use-after-free in binder.c allows an elevation of privilege from an application to the Linux Kernel. No user interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability, however exploitation does require either the installation of a malicious local application or a separate vulnerability in a network facing application.Product: AndroidAndroid ID: A-141720095

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-2215?

It affects 77 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Google Android, Huawei Alp-Al00b Firmware, Huawei Alp-Tl00b Firmware, Huawei Anne-Al00 Firmware, Huawei Ares-Al00b Firmware, Huawei Ares-Al10d Firmware, Huawei Ares-Tl00chw Firmware, Huawei Barca-Al00 Firmware, Huawei Berkeley-L09 Firmware, Huawei Berkeley-Tl10 Firmware, Huawei Bla-Al00b Firmware, Huawei Bla-L29c Firmware, Huawei Bla-Tl00b Firmware, Huawei Columbia-Al00a Firmware, Huawei Columbia-L29d Firmware, Huawei Cornell-Tl10b Firmware, Huawei Duke-L09i Firmware, Huawei Dura-Al00a Firmware and 57 more.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-2215?

Apply the vendor's patch. US federal agencies must fix it by 3 May 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-2215 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-2215 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Public exploit code:

- Temproot for Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL via CVE-2019-2215 (github_poc): https://github.com/kangtastic/cve-2019-2215
- https://github.com/timwr/CVE-2019-2215 (github_poc): https://github.com/timwr/CVE-2019-2215
- Triggering and Analyzing Android Kernel Vulnerability CVE-2019-2215 (github_poc): https://github.com/sharif-dev/AndroidKernelVulnerability
- This lab guides you through setting up an environment to explore CVE-2019-2215, a critical Android kernel vulnerability in the binder subsystem. (github_poc): https://github.com/0xbinder/android-kernel-exploitation-lab
- Android privilege escalation via an use-after-free in binder.c (github_poc): https://github.com/DimitriFourny/cve-2019-2215
- Temproot for Bravia TV via CVE-2019-2215. (github_poc): https://github.com/LIznzn/CVE-2019-2215

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-2215 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-2215 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 11 Oct 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-2215 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. 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-2019-2215/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-2215/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-2215
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-2215
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-2215

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-2215/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.