Android: Observable Timing Discrepancy
CVE-2025-48630 is a high-severity observable timing discrepancy vulnerability in Android from Google, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.4 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected Android versions: 16-qpr2; 16; 15, and others listed below. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.1% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Android you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on source.android.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.4 | High | NVD |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.4 | High | CISA (ADP) |
Official description
In drawLayersInternal of SkiaRenderEngine.cpp, there is a possible way to access the GPU cache due to side channel information disclosure. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Observable Timing Discrepancy
Two separate operations in a product require different amounts of time to complete, in a way that is observable to an actor and reveals security-relevant information about the state of the product, such as whether a particular operation was successful or not.
More Observable Timing Discrepancy vulnerabilities (CWE-208)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other vulnerabilities in Android
- 8.4 High severity
- 8.4 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.4 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
Recent Observable Timing Discrepancy vulnerabilities
- 7.4 High severity
- 8.5 High severity
- 8.6 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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