CVE-2025-48613
Published: 02 March 2026
Summary
CVE-2025-48613 is a high-severity Improper Privilege Management (CWE-269) 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 0.1th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 CM-14 (Signed Components) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2025-48613 is a vulnerability in VBMeta, a component used in Android's verified boot process, that enables modification and resigning of VBMeta using a test key if the original image was previously signed with the same key. Published on March 2, 2026, it is rated 7.8 (High) under CVSS 3.1 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) and maps to CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management). No additional execution privileges or user interaction are required for exploitation.
A local attacker with low privileges (PR:L) can exploit this vulnerability due to its low attack complexity (AC:L). Successful exploitation leads to local escalation of privilege, potentially granting high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H).
The Android Security Bulletin for March 2026, available at https://source.android.com/docs/security/bulletin/2026/2026-03-01, addresses this issue with patches and mitigation guidance for affected Android versions.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-208210
Vulnerability details
In VBMeta, there is a possible way to modify and resign VBMeta using a test key, assuming the original image was previously signed with the same key. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges…
more
needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Local privilege escalation via VBMeta modification in verified boot directly matches exploitation for privilege escalation.
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Mandates digital signing and verification of boot components like VBMeta prior to execution, preventing use of modified or test-key resigned images for privilege escalation.
Verifies integrity of firmware and software including VBMeta, detecting and preventing unauthorized modifications or improper resigning that bypass verified boot.
Requires timely patching of the specific VBMeta verification flaw allowing test key resigning, as addressed in the Android Security Bulletin.