CVE-2025-48595: Android Framework — Integer Overflow Enabling Local Privilege Escalation

Background

CVE-2025-48595 is a high-severity integer overflow vulnerability (CWE-190) in the Android Framework — the Java-based layer of the Android operating system that provides core APIs to applications, manages inter-process communication, and mediates access to system services. The vulnerability enables local privilege escalation without requiring any user interaction, allowing a malicious application to achieve code execution at a higher privilege level than its installation context.

The vulnerability was addressed in Google’s Android Security Bulletin for June 2026, published 2 June 2026, at patch level 2026-06-01. Google stated in the bulletin that there are “indications that CVE-2025-48595 may be under limited, targeted exploitation” — the language used to indicate confirmed in-the-wild exploitation. CISA added the CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on the same day with a federal agency remediation deadline of 5 June 2026, the most aggressive deadline tier (three days) reserved for actively exploited vulnerabilities.

Technical Mechanism

Integer overflow vulnerabilities (CWE-190) occur when an arithmetic operation produces a result that exceeds the maximum value representable in the integer type being used. When the overflowed value is then used to allocate memory, index an array, or calculate an offset, it can cause memory to be allocated smaller than expected, leading to a buffer overflow — or can produce a negative value used as an index, enabling out-of-bounds memory access.

In the Android Framework context, an integer overflow affecting size or length calculations can lead to:

• Heap buffer overflow: A memory allocation of size N is made, but data of size N+M is written into it, corrupting adjacent heap memory
• Type confusion: An overflowed value causes the framework to misinterpret an object’s type, enabling operations on incorrect data structures
• Arbitrary code execution: By controlling the corrupted heap, an attacker can redirect execution flow to attacker-controlled code

The Android Framework runs with elevated system privileges relative to normal Android application sandbox. Code execution within the Framework context grants access to sensitive APIs, system services, and data that normal applications cannot access, effectively escalating the attacker’s privileges beyond the application sandbox.

The CVE’s CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) is notable for PR:N — no privileges required. This means the attack can be triggered by a zero-permission application, not requiring any sensitive permissions to be granted by the user. The UI:N (no user interaction) rating means the exploit triggers without any additional action from the device owner after the malicious application is running.

The specific Framework component affected and the exact code path have not been publicly disclosed by Google, consistent with their responsible disclosure policy of withholding technical details while patches propagate to OEM devices.

// Conceptual illustration of an integer overflow pattern in Android Framework (CWE-190)
// Attacker-controlled Parcel data triggers overflow in size calculation

// A malicious app sends a crafted Parcel via Binder IPC to a privileged system service:
Parcel data = Parcel.obtain();
// Write a value that, when multiplied by element size, overflows int (e.g., 0x40000001 * 4 = 4)
data.writeInt(0x40000001);  // attacker-controlled count
// Framework allocates buffer of (count * elementSize) % 2^32 == 4 bytes
// Then writes count * elementSize = 4GB+ of data into the 4-byte allocation → heap overflow

// The resulting heap corruption is used to overwrite adjacent objects and
// gain code execution in the system_server or a privileged framework process.

// Delivery mechanism: zero-permission APK distributed via sideload or drive-by install
// adb install malicious_app.apk   (or via social engineering / drive-by APK download)

Real-World Exploitation Evidence

Google’s confirmation of “limited, targeted exploitation” as of the June 2 bulletin indicates that exploitation was observed before the patch was publicly released — either a zero-day or a very short-window exploit following internal reporting.

“Limited, targeted exploitation” in Google’s bulletin language typically corresponds to spyware or surveillance tool deployment against specific high-value individuals — journalists, activists, political figures, or corporate executives — rather than mass-market malware distribution. The June 2026 timeframe aligns with increased Android Framework exploitation activity by commercial surveillance vendors (historically including NSO Group, Intellexa/Predator, and similar operators).

CISA’s simultaneous addition of the CVE to KEV on the same day as the bulletin publication, with a 3-day remediation window for federal agencies, is consistent with assessed use in nation-state or commercially sponsored targeted attacks.

At this time, no public threat actor attribution for CVE-2025-48595 exploitation has been made. FCEB agencies were required to apply the June 2026 patch level or discontinue use of affected Android devices by 5 June 2026 under BOD 22-01.

Impact Assessment

Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-48595 provides:

• Framework-level code execution: The attacker’s code runs in the system_server process or an equivalent privileged context, outside the normal application sandbox with access to sensitive system APIs.
• Access to protected data: Framework-level access bypasses Android’s permission model, granting read access to SMS/MMS, contacts, call logs, location data, and encrypted storage without requiring user-granted permissions.
• Microphone and camera access: System-level privileges allow covert access to audio and video capture APIs without triggering the user-visible privacy indicators introduced in Android 12.
• Credential extraction: Access to the Android Keystore and credential storage APIs enables extraction of authentication tokens and certificates stored on the device.
• Persistent surveillance: Spyware operating at Framework level survives application reinstalls and can be re-established across device reboots through system-level persistence mechanisms.

Affected Versions

The vulnerability affects three supported Android major versions:

OEM-specific Android builds each have their own patch delivery timelines:

Remediation Steps

1. Apply the Android Security Patch Level 2026-06-01 update on all Android 14, 15, and 16 devices.

   Check current patch level: Settings → About Phone → Android Version → Android Security Update

2. Update paths by device type:

   • Google Pixel: Settings → System → System Update (available from 2 June 2026)
   • Samsung Galaxy: Settings → Software Update or Samsung Members app
   • Enterprise devices: Enforce minimum security patch level 2026-06-01 via EMM/MDM (Microsoft Intune, VMware Workspace ONE, Jamf) and quarantine non-compliant devices

   # Verify current Android security patch level via ADB (for enterprise fleet auditing)
   adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
   # Expected output after patching: 2026-06-01
   
   # Check Android version
   adb shell getprop ro.build.version.release
   
   # MDM compliance check (Microsoft Intune Graph API — require patch level >= 2026-06-01)
   # GET https://graph.microsoft.com/v1.0/deviceManagement/managedDevices?$filter=operatingSystem eq 'Android'
   # Review securityPatchLevel field for non-compliant devices

3. Devices that cannot be updated (unsupported OEM, end-of-life hardware) should be treated as compromised if handling sensitive data and removed from access to sensitive systems.

4. Restrict sideloading: Enforce Settings → Security → Install unknown apps restrictions via MDM if not already in place — the most likely exploitation delivery vector is a malicious APK distributed outside the Google Play Store.

Detection Guidance

For individual devices:

• Review installed applications for unfamiliar or untrusted sources, particularly applications installed from APK files rather than the Play Store
• Check battery and data usage for unusual background activity — surveillance tools typically exhibit elevated background data transfer
• Ensure Android Play Protect is enabled: Settings → Security → Google Play Protect

For enterprise environments (SIEM/EDR):

Enterprise Android management platforms can surface:

• Devices failing compliance checks (patch level below 2026-06-01) — flag as high priority for immediate remediation
• Unusual process spawning from system_server — abnormal child processes indicate potential Framework-level exploitation
• Applications granted unusual permissions not matching their declared category
• Large outbound HTTPS connections to unusual destinations during periods of device inactivity

index=mdm sourcetype="intune:device" OR sourcetype="workspace_one:device"
| eval patch_date=strptime(securityPatchLevel, "%Y-%m-%d")
| eval required_patch=strptime("2026-06-01", "%Y-%m-%d")
| where patch_date < required_patch AND os="Android"
| stats count by deviceName, userPrincipalName, securityPatchLevel, osVersion, lastSyncDateTime
| sort -lastSyncDateTime

# Detect periodic beaconing patterns from Android devices to newly-registered domains
# (Characteristic of surveillance/spyware C2 using CDN-mimicking infrastructure)
alert dns $HOME_NET any -> any 53 (msg:"CVE-2025-48595 Android Spyware - DNS to Recently Registered Domain"; flow:established; dns.query; pcre:"/^[a-z0-9\-]{8,20}\.(xyz|top|icu|cc|cn)$/i"; sid:9002200; rev:1;)
alert tcp $HOME_NET any -> any 443 (msg:"CVE-2025-48595 Android Spyware - Periodic Low-Volume C2 Beacon"; flow:established; dsize:<200; threshold:type both, track by_src, count 1, seconds 60; sid:9002201; rev:1;)

Network indicators:

Surveillance tools of the type associated with this exploitation pattern typically communicate over HTTPS to infrastructure mimicking legitimate CDN or analytics services:

• Android devices communicating with domains registered within the past 90 days
• Periodic, low-volume HTTPS connections maintaining command-and-control contact
• DNS lookups for domains that do not resolve via standard public resolvers

Forensic note: If targeted exploitation is suspected on a high-value device, engage a specialist mobile forensics team. Surveillance tools operating at the Framework level may not be detectable by standard on-device scanning tools and require memory acquisition and offline analysis.

Timeline

References

• Google — Android Security Bulletin June 2026
• CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalogue
• NVD — CVE-2025-48595
• CISA — Binding Operational Directive 22-01