# CVE-2020-8913: Local arbitrary code execution in splitinstall in Android's Play Core

> A malicious APK can exploit path traversal in Play Core to execute code and access data of a targeted Android application.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 12 Aug 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-c3x2-v6m7-xhgm

## What is CVE-2020-8913?

CVE-2020-8913 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Google LLC Android Play Core, published on 12 Aug 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A local, arbitrary code execution vulnerability exists in the SplitCompat.install endpoint in Android's Play Core Library versions prior to 1.7.2. A malicious attacker could create an apk which targets a specific application, and if a victim were to install this apk, the attacker could perform a directory traversal, execute code as the targeted application and access the targeted application's data on the Android device. We recommend all users update Play Core to version 1.7.2 or later.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory), CWE-281 (Improper Preservation of Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-8913?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Android Play Core Library.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-8913?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-8913 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-8913 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-8913 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-8913 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-8913 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Google LLC Android Play Core, published on 12 Aug 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-8913 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Google LLC Android Play Core. 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-2020-8913/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8913/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8913
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8913
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-8913

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-8913/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.