CVE-2020-0021 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

Android Operating System Vulnerability (Android-10)

Understanding CVE-2020-0021

A Denial-of-Service vulnerability impacting Android-10 with the potential for remote exploitation.

What is CVE-2020-0021?

The vulnerability exists in the PackageManagerService.java code, allowing for a permanent denial-of-service attack due to a missing package dependency test.
Attackers can exploit this without user interaction, potentially leading to a remote denial of service.

The Impact of CVE-2020-0021

An attacker can trigger a denial-of-service condition on Android-10 devices, affecting system availability.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-0021

The technical aspects of the vulnerability are as follows:

Vulnerability Description

Location: removeUnusedPackagesLPw of PackageManagerService.java
Risk: Permanent denial-of-service

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: Android
Affected Version: Android-10

Exploitation Mechanism

Exploitation requires User execution privileges but no user interaction, making it feasible for remote attacks.

Mitigation and Prevention

Steps to address the CVE-2020-0021 vulnerability:

Immediate Steps to Take

Monitor vendor security bulletins for patches and updates.
Implement firewall rules to restrict access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update Android devices to the latest patches.
Employ security software to detect and prevent exploit attempts.

Patching and Updates

Apply security patches provided by Android to remediate the vulnerability.