CVE-2024-31317
About
In multiple functions of ZygoteProcess.java, there is a possible way to achieve code execution as any app via WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS due to unsafe deserialization. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
Rainforest analyst review
Android's ZygoteProcess code unsafely deserializes data, and an actor holding the WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS permission can abuse that to run code in the context of any app. Zygote is the process every app is forked from, so influencing it is a powerful lever — but the entry ticket, WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS, is a protected permission not granted to ordinary apps.
That precondition is what keeps this out of the drive-by category. It's a local privilege-escalation building block: something a malicious or already-compromised privileged component uses to spread into other apps' identities, not something a remote attacker fires blind. No user interaction is needed once the permission is held, which makes it a clean escalation step in a chain that starts elsewhere.
We read this as post-compromise plumbing and prioritize it in the context of a device's whole patch state rather than in isolation. The practical control is the monthly Android security update reaching the fleet, and, on managed devices, keeping tight limits on what can ever obtain WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS. On its own it can't start an intrusion; its danger is amplifying one that already has a privileged foothold.
References
Related CVEs
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2024-31317?
In multiple functions of ZygoteProcess.java, there is a possible way to achieve code execution as any app via WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS due to unsafe deserialization. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
How severe is CVE-2024-31317?
CVE-2024-31317 carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated high. On the Rainforest Risk Index — which weighs the severity alongside how easy the flaw is to reach and how broad its impact is — it scores 73 out of 100, in the high band.
How is CVE-2024-31317 exploited?
According to the CVSS vector (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H): attack vector Local, attack complexity Low, privileges required Low, user interaction None. Impact on confidentiality High, integrity High and availability High.
Which products are affected by CVE-2024-31317?
Public advisories list the following as affected: android. Check the references on this page for the exact versions each vendor confirms.
How do I fix CVE-2024-31317?
Apply the fix the vendor published — the references on this page link to the primary advisories and patches. When patching can't happen right away, reduce the exposure of the affected component and watch it for exploitation attempts. Rainforest customers see this vulnerability correlated to their own assets and prioritized by real exposure, not by score alone.
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