Cyber Resilience

CVE-2025-20798

Memory Safety in Google Android 14.0 … 16.0

Published
06 January 2026
Modified
08 January 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 7.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.00080 0.2th percentile
Risk Priority 53 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2025-20798 is a high-severity Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) vulnerability in Google Android. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked at the 0.2th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SA-15 (Development Process, Standards, and Tools) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2025-20798 is a vulnerability in the battery component featuring a possible out-of-bounds write due to a missing bounds check. It affects MediaTek products, as indicated by the associated Patch ID ALPS10315812 and Issue ID MSV-5533. The issue has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) and is linked to CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write). The vulnerability was published on 2026-01-06.

A local attacker who has already obtained System privilege can exploit this vulnerability without user interaction. Exploitation involves triggering the out-of-bounds write, potentially leading to local escalation of privilege with high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

MediaTek's January 2026 Product Security Bulletin at https://corp.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/January-2026 details the patch ALPS10315812 as the mitigation, recommending affected parties apply it to address the bounds check deficiency.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

In battery, there is a possible out of bounds write due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege if a malicious actor has already obtained the System privilege. User interaction is not needed for…

more

exploitation. Patch ID: ALPS10315812; Issue ID: MSV-5533.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
T1211 Exploitation for Stealth Stealth
Adversaries may exploit vulnerabilities to evade detection by hiding activity, suppressing logging, or operating within trusted or unmonitored components.
T1212 Exploitation for Credential Access Credential Access
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to collect credentials.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-20057Same product: Google Android
CVE-2025-20645Same product: Google Android
CVE-2023-32866Same product: Google Android
CVE-2023-32867Same product: Google Android
CVE-2023-32868Same product: Google Android
CVE-2023-32869Same product: Google Android
CVE-2025-20658Same product: Google Android
CVE-2023-20761Same product: Google Android
CVE-2023-32865Same product: Google Android
CVE-2024-20079Same product: Google Android

Affected Assets

google
android
14.0, 15.0, 16.0

Mitigating Controls

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Developer testing and evaluation (including fuzzing and bounds checks) finds out-of-bounds write flaws before deployment.

Requiring documented secure-development standards and tools can mandate bounds-checked coding practices that avoid the weakness.

Input validation can structurally reject or sanitize data that would otherwise trigger an out-of-bounds write.

Memory-protection mechanisms limit the exploitability and blast radius of a successful out-of-bounds write.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure-development practices (static analysis, bounds checking, code review) are the primary means of preventing out-of-bounds writes.

ID.RA-01 partial match
prevents

Vulnerability scanning and recording can discover out-of-bounds write flaws so they can be remediated.

PR.PS-02 partial match
prevents

Patching or replacing vulnerable software directly eliminates known instances of this coding weakness.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing in development and acceptance can detect and prevent out-of-bounds write defects.

prevents

Secure development life cycle mandates practices that prevent out-of-bounds writes.

prevents

Application security requirements can specify bounds-checking and safe memory handling.

prevents

Secure architecture and engineering principles reduce the likelihood of buffer overflows.

prevents

Secure coding directly addresses out-of-bounds writes through language choice and coding standards.

prevents

Change management can enforce review gates that catch unsafe memory operations before deployment.

References