CVE-2018-9413 is a high severity out-of-bounds write caused by a missing bounds check in the Bluetooth stack (handle_notification_response in btif_rc.cc). NVD scores it 8.8. Google fixes it at security patch level 2018-07-05 or later. Install the device update that reaches that level.
What's affected
- Product: Android, in the Bluetooth stack (handle_notification_response in btif_rc.cc).
- Releases listed by the bulletin: 7.0, 7.1.1, 7.1.2, 8.0 and 8.1. The NVD product list shows only some Android releases, so treat the bulletin as the fuller list.
- Fixed in: security patch level 2018-07-05 or later, according to the Pixel and Nexus Security Bulletin for July 2018.
- Impact in the record: remote code execution, with user interaction needed.
- Severity: NVD scores it 8.8 High (vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H). The bulletin lists it as Moderate, type RCE. Both ratings are given because they differ.
- Weakness classes: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write).
How to check if you're exposed
- On the device, open Settings and find the Android security patch level, usually under About phone. The exact path varies by manufacturer. A date earlier than 2018-07-05 means the fix is not present.
- With a USB debugging connection, run
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch. It prints the patch level as a date. You need 2018-07-05 or later. - For a fleet, export the patch level from your mobile device management console and filter for dates earlier than 2018-07-05.
- Match each device against the release list above. Devices on releases outside it are not named for this CVE, but check them against the other entries in the same bulletin.
What to do now
- Identify every Android device in scope and record its current security patch level.
- Roll out the manufacturer or carrier update that reaches 2018-07-05 or later. Google publishes the fixes, but each device maker decides when its devices receive them.
- For devices that no longer receive updates, plan replacement or limit what they can reach, such as corporate mail and internal apps.
- Until patched, turn Bluetooth off when you do not need it and avoid pairing with unknown devices. This lowers exposure but does not replace the update.
- Write the update policy down, with a maximum patch age, and report exceptions.
Why it matters
The record scores this as network reachable with no privileges but with user interaction (vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R). The component is the Bluetooth audio and video remote control handling code, so devices with Bluetooth switched off or without paired media peripherals are in a different position from devices that routinely pair.
A missing bounds check means code writes data past the end of a buffer it was given. Out-of-bounds writes corrupt neighbouring memory, and in native code that memory can include control data. That is why the record rates confidentiality, integrity and availability impact all as high. The record's KEV flag is false, so CISA does not list it as exploited. That is the absence of a report in the sources read, not proof that no one has tried.
Quick check
Why does Google rate this Moderate while NVD says High?
The Pixel and Nexus bulletin labels the issue Moderate. The NVD record scores it 8.8, which is High. The two use different scales and assumptions, so read both and let your own exposure decide the priority.
Which patch level should I look for?
The Pixel and Nexus Security Bulletin for July 2018 places this fix at 2018-07-05. Any date at or after 2018-07-05 includes it. Some makers ship it under a different update name, so check the date.
Sources
- Pixel and Nexus Security Bulletin for July 2018: Affected releases, severity, type and the patch level that carries the fix.
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
