CVE-2018-14994
CVSS v3
7.5
HIGH
EPSS Score
2.0 %
exploit probability, as of 2026-09-25
CISA KEV
No
known exploited
Exploitation
—
SSVC status
Description
The Essential Phone Android device with a build fingerprint of essential/mata/mata:8.1.0/OPM1.180104.166/297:user/release-keys contains a pre-installed platform app with a package name of com.ts.android.hiddenmenu (versionName=1.0, platformBuildVersionName=8.1.0) that contains an exported activity app component named com.ts.android.hiddenmenu.rtn.RTNResetActivity that allows any app co-located on the device to programmatically initiate a factory reset. In addition, the app initiating the factory reset does not require any permissions. A factory reset will remove all user data and apps from the device. This will result in the loss of any data that have not been backed up or synced externally. The capability to perform a factory reset is not directly available to third-party apps (those that the user installs themselves with the exception of enabled Mobile Device Management (MDM) apps), although this capability can be obtained by leveraging an unprotected app component of a pre-installed platform app.
Technical details
- Published
- 2019-04-25
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2018-14994?
The Essential Phone Android device with a build fingerprint of essential/mata/mata:8.1.0/OPM1.180104.166/297:user/release-keys contains a pre-installed platform app with a package name of com.ts.android.hiddenmenu (versionName=1.0, platformBuildVersionName=8.1.0) that contains an exported activity app component named com.ts.android.hiddenmenu.rtn.RTNResetActivity that allows any app co-located on the device to programmatically initiate a factory reset. In addition, the app initiating the factory reset does not require any permissions. A factory reset will remove all user data and apps from the device. This will result in the loss of any data that have not been backed up or synced externally. The capability to perform a factory reset is not directly available to third-party apps (those that the user installs themselves with the exception of enabled Mobile Device Management (MDM) apps), although this capability can be obtained by leveraging an unprotected app component of a pre-installed platform app.
Is CVE-2018-14994 actively exploited?
Active exploitation of CVE-2018-14994 has not been confirmed. Its EPSS score was 2.0% on 2026-09-25, the estimated probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What is the CVSS score for CVE-2018-14994?
CVE-2018-14994 has a CVSS v3 base score of 7.5 (HIGH severity).
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