CVE-2022-20503 is a high-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability found in Android 13, specifically within the WifiDppConfiguratorActivity component. The flaw arises due to a missing permission check in the onCreate method of WifiDppConfiguratorActivity.java, which allows a guest user—an unprivileged local user account—to add a WiFi configuration without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) and enables local attackers to escalate their privileges on the device. The vulnerability is exploitable locally (AV:L), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), and only requires low privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N). The impact is significant, affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability (all rated high in the CVSS vector), meaning an attacker could potentially manipulate network configurations, intercept or redirect network traffic, or disrupt connectivity. Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability's presence in Android 13—a widely deployed mobile operating system—makes it a critical concern. The lack of a patch link suggests that remediation may require updates from device manufacturers or Google’s security updates. The vulnerability’s exploitation scope is local, requiring physical or logical access to the device, but it does not require the attacker to have elevated privileges initially, increasing the risk in multi-user or shared device scenarios.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-20503 can be substantial, especially for enterprises and government agencies that rely heavily on Android 13 devices for secure communications and network access. The ability for a guest user to add WiFi configurations without authorization could lead to unauthorized network access, man-in-the-middle attacks, or data exfiltration through rogue access points. This could compromise sensitive corporate or governmental data, disrupt operations, and undermine trust in mobile device security. Organizations with bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies or shared device environments are particularly vulnerable, as attackers could exploit this flaw without needing privileged access or user interaction. The vulnerability also poses risks to critical infrastructure sectors that use Android devices for operational technology or field communications. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, exploitation could lead to significant operational disruptions and data breaches.

To mitigate CVE-2022-20503, European organizations should: 1) Ensure all Android 13 devices are updated with the latest security patches as soon as they become available from device manufacturers or Google. 2) Restrict guest user account capabilities or disable guest accounts entirely on corporate devices to reduce the attack surface. 3) Implement Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions that enforce strict WiFi configuration policies and monitor for unauthorized network profile changes. 4) Educate users about the risks of using guest accounts and encourage the use of secure, authenticated user profiles. 5) Where possible, restrict physical and logical access to devices, especially in shared or public environments. 6) Monitor network traffic for signs of rogue access points or unusual WiFi configurations that could indicate exploitation attempts. 7) Collaborate with vendors to prioritize patch deployment and verify that fixes address the missing permission check effectively.