Google Pixel vulnerability permits dangerous actors to undo Markup screenshot edits and redactions

When Google started rolling out Android’s , the corporate addressed a “Excessive” severity vulnerability involving the Pixel’s Markup screenshot instrument. Over the weekend, and , the reverse engineers who found CVE-2023-21036, shared extra details about the safety flaw, revealing Pixel customers are nonetheless susceptible to their older pictures being compromised because of the nature of Google’s oversight.

In brief, the “aCropalypse” flaw allowed somebody to take a PNG screenshot cropped in Markup and undo at the very least among the edits within the picture. It’s straightforward to think about situations the place a nasty actor may abuse that functionality. For example, if a Pixel proprietor used Markup to redact a picture that included delicate details about themselves, somebody may exploit the flaw to disclose that info. You will discover the technical particulars on .

In response to Buchanan, the flaw has existed for about 5 years, coinciding with the discharge of Markup alongside . And therein lies the issue. Whereas March’s safety patch will stop Markup from compromising future pictures, some screenshots Pixel customers could have shared prior to now are nonetheless in danger.

It’s onerous to say how involved Pixel customers needs to be in regards to the flaw. In response to a forthcoming Aarons and Buchanan shared with and , some web sites, together with Twitter, course of pictures in such a approach that somebody couldn’t exploit the vulnerability to reverse edit a screenshot or picture. Customers on different platforms aren’t so fortunate. Aarons and Buchanan particularly establish Discord, noting the chat app didn’t patch out the exploit till its latest January seventeenth replace. In the intervening time, it’s unclear if pictures shared on different social media and chat apps have been left equally susceptible.

Google didn’t instantly reply to Engadget’s request for remark and extra info. The March safety replace is at present obtainable on the Pixel 4a, 5a, 7 and seven Professional, that means Markup can nonetheless produce susceptible pictures on some Pixel gadgets. It’s unclear when Google will push the patch to different Pixel gadgets. In case you personal a Pixel cellphone with out the patch, keep away from utilizing Markup to share delicate pictures.