CVE-2018-9432 is a high severity permissions bypass that hides and bypasses the user's ability to disable access to contacts in the Bluetooth permission dialogs (createPhonebookDialogView and createMapDialogView in BluetoothPermissionActivity.java). NVD scores it 7.8. Google fixes it at security patch level 2018-07-01 or later. Install the device update that reaches that level.
What's affected
- Product: Android, in the Bluetooth permission dialogs (createPhonebookDialogView and createMapDialogView in BluetoothPermissionActivity.java).
- Releases listed by the bulletin: 6.0, 6.0.1, 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 2018-07-01 or later, according to the Android Security Bulletin for July 2018.
- Impact in the record: local escalation of privilege with user interaction needed.
- Severity: NVD scores it 7.8 High (vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H). The bulletin lists it as High, type EoP. The two ratings agree.
- Weakness classes: CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions).
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 2018-07-01 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 2018-07-01 or later. - For a fleet, export the patch level from your mobile device management console and filter for dates earlier than 2018-07-01.
- 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 2018-07-01 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
This is a user interface integrity problem as much as a code defect. The dialog that lets a person refuse a paired device access to their contacts could be hidden or bypassed. For organisations that pair phones with vehicles or headsets, contacts data is the asset at stake.
Permission prompts only protect users when they are shown and honoured. Here the control that should let a user disable contacts sharing could be bypassed, and NVD tags the weakness as incorrect default permissions. It is a reminder that consent screens are security controls and need the same review as code paths. The record's KEV flag is false, so CISA does not list it as exploited. The bulletin says Google had no reports of active customer exploitation or abuse of the newly reported issues in it. That is the absence of a report in the sources read, not proof that no one has tried.
Quick check
What data is exposed?
The record describes access to contacts being hidden from the user and not disableable. It does not list other data. Check the bulletin for any further detail before you widen the scope.
Which patch level should I look for?
The Android Security Bulletin for July 2018 places this fix at 2018-07-01. Any date at or after 2018-07-01 includes it. Some makers ship it under a different update name, so check the date.
Sources
- Android Security Bulletin for July 2018: Affected releases, severity, type and the patch level that carries the fix.
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
