Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This Android flaw could let someone exit App Pinning without entering the expected PIN. For businesses, the main concern is managed, shared, kiosk, or front-desk devices where App Pinning is used to restrict access to one application.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted device-control risk, not a broad remote compromise. Prioritize fleets where App Pinning protects sensitive workflows, customer-facing kiosks, or shared-use devices, then confirm patch coverage through MDM and OEM channels.
Technical view
CVE-2021-0472 is a permissions bypass in Android LockTaskController.java, specifically shouldLockKeyguard. The source describes possible local escalation of privilege on Android 9, 10, and 11 with no additional execution privileges and no user interaction required.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Android 9, 10, or 11 devices that rely on App Pinning as a security control, especially shared or managed devices. Devices outside those versions are not identified as affected in the provided sources.
Exploitation context
The provided sources do not report active exploitation, and KEV status is false. The issue is described as local privilege escalation, so practical risk depends on physical or local access to an affected Android device and whether App Pinning is used.
Researcher notes
The source bundle lacks CVSS, CWE, patch diff, and exploit details. Analysis should remain anchored to Android ID A-176801033, affected Android 9-11, and the described LockTaskController permissions bypass.
Mitigation direction
- Review the Android May 2021 security bulletin for vendor patch guidance.
- Apply applicable Android security updates for affected Android 9, 10, and 11 devices.
- Prioritize managed, shared, kiosk, and high-trust App Pinning deployments.
- If patch status is unclear, verify with the device OEM or MDM vendor.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Android 9, 10, and 11 devices in fleet management systems.
- Identify devices or profiles using App Pinning or Lock Task behavior.
- Confirm installed Android security patch level against vendor guidance.
- Check whether OEM-specific builds have received the relevant Android fix.
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.
CVE-2021-0472 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
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
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 and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2021-05-01CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
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.