CVE-2017-5948
CWE-20Published: May 11, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
An issue was discovered on OnePlus One, X, 2, 3, and 3T devices. OxygenOS and HydrogenOS are vulnerable to downgrade attacks. This is due to a lenient 'updater-script' in OTAs that does not check that the current version is lower than or equal to the given image's. Downgrades can occur even on locked bootloaders and without triggering a factory reset, allowing for exploitation of now-patched vulnerabilities with access to user data. This vulnerability can be exploited by a Man-in-the-Middle (MiTM) attacker targeting the update process. This is possible because the update transaction does not occur over TLS (CVE-2016-10370). In addition, a physical attacker can reboot the phone into recovery, and then use 'adb sideload' to push the OTA (on OnePlus 3/3T 'Secure Start-up' must be off).
Technical Analysis
CVE-2017-5948 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.
A successful exploit results in full integrity compromise (data manipulation), with a CVSS base score of 5.9.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (2)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-20)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2017-5948 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts