# CVE-2023-20849: Use after free in MT2713, MT6895, MT6897, MT6983, MT8188, MT8195, MT8395, MT8781

> A use-after-free vulnerability in MediaTek imgsys_cmdq allows local attackers with system privileges to escalate privileges via user interaction.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 4 Sep 2023
- **Updated:** 1 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fcm2-qhf9-7wvv

## What is CVE-2023-20849?

CVE-2023-20849 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in Google Android, published on 4 Sep 2023. 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

In imgsys_cmdq, there is a possible use after free due to a missing valid range checking. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with System execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation. Patch ID: ALPS07340433; Issue ID: ALPS07340350.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20849?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Google Android, Linux kernel, Linuxfoundation Yocto, Mediatek Iot Yocto.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20849?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20849 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-20849 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20849 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2023-20849 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20849 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in Google Android, published on 4 Sep 2023. 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-2023-20849 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-2023-20849/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20849/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20849
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20849
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20849

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20849/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.