# CVE-2023-20914: Auth bypass in Android

> A permissions bypass in Android allows a work profile to read SMS messages, leading to local information disclosure.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 May 2023
- **Updated:** 24 Jan 2025
- **Also known as:** A-189942529, ASB-A-189942529, GHSA-9mc5-9564-268j

## What is CVE-2023-20914?

CVE-2023-20914 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Google Android, published on 15 May 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

In onSetRuntimePermissionGrantStateByDeviceAdmin of AdminRestrictedPermissionsUtils.java, there is a possible way for the work profile to read SMS messages due to a permissions bypass. This could lead to local information disclosure with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-11Android ID: A-189942529

Weakness: CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20914?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Google Android.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20914?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-20914 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-20914 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-2023-20914 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20914 is a medium-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Google Android, published on 15 May 2023. 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-2023-20914 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-2023-20914/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20914/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20914
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20914
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20914

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20914/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.