CVE-2022-20508 is a high-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Android 13. The flaw exists in the onAttach method of the ConfigureWifiSettings.java component, where a permissions bypass allows a guest user to modify WiFi settings without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. Specifically, the vulnerability stems from improper enforcement of access controls, enabling a low-privileged guest user to escalate their privileges locally. This can lead to unauthorized changes in WiFi configurations, potentially impacting system confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), indicating that the system fails to properly verify user permissions before allowing sensitive operations. Exploitation requires local access but no user interaction, and the attack vector is local (AV:L). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and low privileges required. No known exploits in the wild have been reported to date, and no official patch links are provided in the data, suggesting that remediation may rely on vendor updates or configuration changes. The vulnerability was reserved in October 2021 and published in December 2022, indicating it has been known for some time but not widely exploited yet.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk especially in environments where Android 13 devices are used extensively, such as corporate mobile fleets, BYOD scenarios, or public kiosks and terminals that allow guest user profiles. Unauthorized modification of WiFi settings by a guest user could lead to connection to rogue networks, interception of sensitive data, or disruption of network availability. This could compromise confidentiality through data interception, integrity by altering network configurations, and availability by disabling or redirecting network access. Critical infrastructure sectors, financial institutions, and government agencies relying on Android 13 devices for secure communications could be particularly impacted. The local nature of the exploit means attackers need physical or logical access to the device, which may limit remote exploitation but raises concerns for insider threats or compromised devices in shared environments. The lack of user interaction requirement increases the risk of automated or stealthy exploitation once access is obtained. Given the widespread adoption of Android devices across Europe, the potential for lateral movement and privilege escalation within corporate networks is a concern, especially if guest profiles are enabled or improperly managed.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should: 1) Ensure all Android 13 devices are updated with the latest security patches from device manufacturers or Google as soon as they become available, even if no official patch link is currently provided, monitoring vendor advisories closely. 2) Restrict or disable guest user profiles on corporate and shared devices to prevent unauthorized local access. 3) Implement strict device usage policies that limit physical access to trusted personnel and enforce screen locks and strong authentication to reduce the risk of local exploitation. 4) Monitor network configurations and WiFi settings on managed devices for unauthorized changes using Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions with alerting capabilities. 5) Educate users and administrators about the risks of guest profiles and the importance of device security hygiene. 6) Consider network-level protections such as network access control (NAC) to detect and block devices connecting to rogue WiFi networks. 7) For high-security environments, consider disabling WiFi configuration changes through device policy controls or restricting them to privileged users only. These steps go beyond generic patching advice by focusing on access control, monitoring, and policy enforcement tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.