CVE-2021-31815
Published Apr 28, 2021 · Updated Nov 3, 2026
Original summary
Normalized public record · Updated Nov 3, 2026
GAEN (aka Google/Apple Exposure Notifications) through 2021-04-27 on Android allows attackers to obtain sensitive information, such as a user's location history, in-person social graph, and (sometimes) COVID-19 infection status, because Rolling Proximity Identifiers and MAC addresses are written to the Android system log, and many Android devices have applications (preinstalled by the hardware manufacturer or network operator) that read system log data and send it to third parties. NOTE: a news outlet (The Markup) states that they received a vendor response indicating that fix deployment "bega
Publisher and source text is retained separately from QFinch interpretation.
QFinch assessment
GAEN (aka Google/Apple Exposure Notifications) through 2021-04-27 on Android allows attackers to obtain sensitive information, such as a user's location history, in-person social graph, and (sometimes) COVID-19 infection status, because Rolling Proximity Identifiers and MAC addresses are written to the Android system log, and many Android devices have applications (preinstalled by the hardware manufacturer or network operator) that read system log data and send it to third parties. NOTE: a news outlet (The Markup) states that they received a vendor response indicating that fix deployment "began several weeks ago and will be complete in the coming days."
Evidence: public source recordsAffected products
| Affected package, product or range | Fix status |
|---|---|
| Consult the referenced vendor advisory for affected versions. | Consult source advisory |
Matching a version is only one part of assessing exposure. QFinch has not assessed your environment on this public page.
Remediation
Apply the vendor-supported fixed release or mitigation, then verify the affected component is no longer reachable.
- Confirm the affected product and reachable code path exist in your environment.
- Apply the vendor-supported patch or mitigation from the primary advisory.
- Rescan the exact deployed revision and retain verification evidence.
Evidence coverage
- SSVC priority
- LOW
- Confidence
- Not available
- Aliases
- None reported
Scores appear only when corresponding evidence exists. Missing data is never interpreted as zero risk.
Sources and record history
Record history
Published Apr 28, 2021 · Last refreshed Nov 3, 2026