Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2018-9382 is an Android privilege issue where a local app/user context could activate Wi-Fi hotspot functionality from a non-owner profile. This matters because hotspot control can affect device connectivity, policy enforcement, and potentially data exposure. The source rates it high severity, but does not show active exploitation.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority for mobile fleets with older Android or Pixel devices. It is not a confirmed internet-facing or actively exploited issue in the supplied sources, but local privilege impact is broad enough to justify patch verification.
Technical view
The issue is a missing permission check in multiple functions of Android WifiServiceImpl.java, classified as CWE-862. The CVSS 3.1 score is 7.8 with local access, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most relevant to Android devices covered by the cited Google/Pixel June 2018 security bulletin. The provided affected data is limited and inconsistently names Android Kernel, so exact device models, builds, and patch levels are not confirmed here.
Exploitation context
Sources describe local escalation of privilege requiring low privileges and no user interaction. The bundle marks KEV as false and provides no cited evidence of active exploitation, public exploit use, or remote attack capability.
Researcher notes
The core evidence is concise: missing authorization in WifiServiceImpl.java allows hotspot activation from a non-owner profile. The source bundle does not provide commit details, fixed build identifiers, exploit proof, or device-specific applicability, so validation should stay tied to vendor patch guidance.
Mitigation direction
- Review Google's Pixel June 2018 security bulletin for vendor guidance.
- Apply vendor-provided Android or Pixel security updates where applicable.
- Use MDM policy to require supported Android security patch levels.
- Retire or isolate unsupported devices that cannot receive relevant updates.
- Monitor for unauthorized hotspot activation on managed Android devices.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Android and Pixel devices, OS builds, and security patch levels.
- Compare patch levels against Google's June 2018 bulletin guidance.
- Identify devices allowing non-owner or managed user profiles.
- Review MDM compliance reports for outdated or unsupported Android devices.
- Check administrative telemetry for unexpected hotspot enablement events.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-862: Authorization and privilege behavior lookup
Authorization weaknesses can support privilege escalation and valid-account review, depending on exploit path. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2018-9382 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/pixel/2018-06-01CVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Missing Authorization
Missing Authorization represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.