High

Android DefaultPaymentSettings improper input validation local privilege escalation

IdentifiersCVE-2025-48612CWE-20· Improper Input Validation

CVE-2025-48612 is an Android System component vulnerability in setDefaultKey of DefaultPaymentSettings.java. Due to improper input validation, an application can set the main user's default NFC payment setting. Available context indicates this may be exploitable from a work profile context against the main user profile. The issue affects Android 13 through 16 and can result in local elevation of privilege without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction.

For your environment

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation allows a local application to modify the main user's default NFC payment setting, crossing intended profile or privilege boundaries. This constitutes a local elevation of privilege and may let an attacker-controlled app influence NFC payment behavior or payment app selection for the primary user.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

Until patches are applied, reduce exposure by restricting installation of untrusted applications, especially in managed or work-profile environments, and enforce Android security update compliance across fleets. Where possible, limit the ability for untrusted or non-approved apps to operate in work profiles on affected Android 13-16 devices.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Apply the December 2025 Android security updates that address CVE-2025-48612. Devices updated to the appropriate December 2025 patch level, and preferably 2025-12-05 or later as indicated by the bulletin, are considered protected against the issues covered in that release.

PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No public exploits tracked yet. Mallory keeps watching.

VALID 0 / 0 TOTALView more in app

No public exploit code observed for this vulnerability.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType

GoogleAndroidoperating_system

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

5 sources tracked across advisories, community write-ups, and news. New activity surfaces here as Mallory finds it.

5 SOURCESView more in app

socradar blogNews

Dec 2, 2025

December 2025 Android Security Bulletin: Two Zero-Day Flaws Exploited

High-severity System component vulnerability referenced in the bulletin; may result in local elevation of privilege or information disclosure on Android 13–16 (per the content).

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

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Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity4