Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-0550 is an Android 11 local privilege issue. A flawed permission flow in AnnotateActivity could let a local app gain WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE without the user agreeing. This affects confidentiality and integrity of shared external storage, but the sources do not show active exploitation or a CVSS score.
Executive priority
Handle as a moderate mobile fleet hygiene issue. It is not evidenced as actively exploited, but it bypasses user consent for storage permission on Android 11 and should be closed through patch compliance.
Technical view
The CVE describes a confused-deputy flaw in onLoadFailed of AnnotateActivity.java. The impact is local elevation of privilege to WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE on Android 11, with no additional execution privileges and no user interaction required. Public data provided does not include exploit details, CVSS, CWE, or fixed build identifiers.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on Android 11 devices that have not received the relevant June 2021 Android or Pixel security bulletin fixes, including OEM builds lacking backports.
Exploitation context
The source states exploitation is local, requires no user interaction, and needs no additional execution privileges. It does not cite active exploitation, public exploit availability, or KEV listing.
Researcher notes
Evidence is limited to the CVE description and Android Pixel bulletin reference. The source bundle names Android 11, AnnotateActivity.java, onLoadFailed, WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE, and Android ID A-179688673, but no CVSS, CWE, proof of exploitation, or detailed patch metadata.
Mitigation direction
- Apply relevant Android or Pixel June 2021 security updates where available.
- Check OEM advisories for Android 11 backport coverage.
- Prioritize managed mobile devices with sensitive shared-storage workflows.
- Restrict untrusted app installation on affected Android 11 devices.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Android 11 devices and current security patch levels.
- Confirm whether OEM firmware includes CVE-2021-0550 fixes.
- Review mobile management data for outdated Pixel or Android builds.
- Treat absent vendor confirmation as unresolved exposure.
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-2021-0550 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/pixel/2021-06-01CVE 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.