CVE-2023-21237
CVE-2023-21237 is a security flaw in Android Pixel, Google’s operating system for phones and tablets. Attackers can read information from Android Pixel that should be private. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 5 Mar 2024.[1]
Android Pixel is in things households have, such as phones, computers, browsers and everyday apps, so the fix matters at home as much as at work. Android has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it an information disclosure in Android Pixel. In its words: “Android Pixel contains a vulnerability in the Framework component, where the UI may be misleading or insufficient, providing a means to hide a foreground service notification. This could enable a local attacker to disclose sensitive information.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “In applyRemoteView of NotificationContentInflater.java, there is a possible way to hide foreground service notification due to misleading or insufficient UI. This could lead to local information disclosure with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.Product: AndroidVersions: Android-13Android ID: A-251586912”[2]
The underlying weakness is information exposure (CWE-200), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 5.5 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it medium, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Android’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Android Pixel.
Every device with Android Pixel needs the update.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 5 Mar 2024, 251 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 26 Mar 2024 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at under 1%. That’s in the top 82% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Android has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.”[1]
- Update Android Pixel now.On Android: Settings, then System or Software update. Phones only get these fixes while their maker still supports them. Then turn on automatic updates, so the next fix arrives on its own.
- If there’s no update, stop using it.CISA’s advice when a flaw being used in attacks has no fix is to stop using the product until it does.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 5.5.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at under 1%.[4] |
See also
Other Android Pixel flaws
- CVE-2024-32896: privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2024-29748: privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2024-29745: information disclosure ·
Other Android flaws
- CVE-2025-48595, Android Framework: integer overflow ·
- CVE-2025-48633, Android Framework: information disclosure ·
- CVE-2025-48572, Android Framework: privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2025-48543, Android Runtime: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2024-43093, Android Framework: privilege escalation ·
Other information exposure flaws
- CVE-2025-68686, Fortinet FortiOS: exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor ·
- CVE-2026-20133, Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager: exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor ·
- CVE-2025-31125, Vitejs: improper access control ·
- CVE-2026-20805, Microsoft Windows: information disclosure ·
- CVE-2021-41277, Metabase: geoJSON API local file inclusion ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2021-36380, Sunhillo SureLine: OS command injection vulnerablity ·
Every Android flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in March 2024
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Android Pixel Information Disclosure Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 5 Mar 2024.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2023-21237 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 28 Jun 2023.
- ^ Android. Advisories and fixes: source.android.com, source.android.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.003, percentile 18.5, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2023-21237”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.