What is CVE-2018-21051?

CVE-2018-21051 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Google Android, classified under Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component (Injection). CVSS score: 9.8/10. Published 2020-04-08.

How severe is CVE-2018-21051?

Critical severity. CVSS v3 base score is 9.8 out of 10.

Vulnerability in Google Android

CVE-2018-21051

An issue was discovered on Samsung mobile devices with N(7.x) and O(8.x) (Exynos chipsets) software. There is an invalid free in the fingerprint Trustlet, leading to arbitrary code execution. The Samsung ID is SVE-2018-12853 (October 2018).

Published 2020-04-08 · last modified 2026-06-17.

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 9.8 (Critical). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

EPSS exploit prediction

EPSS: 0.009 (56.9th percentile), scored 2026-09-30.

Very low probability of exploitation in the next 30 days; routine patching cadence is appropriate. 57th percentile — 56.9% of CVEs in the catalogue have a lower EPSS than this one. How to read EPSS.

EPSS over last 30 days · oldest: 0.009 · newest: 0.009 · change: 0.000

Affected products

Google Android — versions 7.0, 7.1.0, 7.1.1

Weakness classification (CWE)

CWE-74 — Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component (Injection)

References

security.samsungmobile.com/securityUpdate.smsb (Vendor Advisory)

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-21051?: CVE-2018-21051 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Google Android, classified under Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component (Injection). CVSS score: 9.8/10. Published 2020-04-08.
How severe is CVE-2018-21051?: Critical severity. CVSS v3 base score is 9.8 out of 10.