CVE-2025-26420 is a medium-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Google Android versions 13 and 14. The flaw exists in multiple functions within the GrantPermissionsActivity.java component, where a condition known as permission overload can trick the system into granting incorrect permissions. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to escalate privileges without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. The root cause relates to improper handling of permission requests, classified under CWE-281 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer), which in this context manifests as incorrect permission assignment due to logic errors in permission granting workflows. Exploitation does not require user interaction, increasing the risk of automated or stealthy local privilege escalation attacks. However, the attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have some form of local access to the device. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity by potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data or system functions, but does not affect availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that mitigation may rely on vendor updates once available. The CVSS score of 4.4 reflects a medium risk, primarily due to the local attack vector and the lack of user interaction required for exploitation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to employees and users operating Android 13 and 14 devices, which are common in enterprise environments. Successful exploitation could allow a local attacker—such as a malicious insider, or malware that has gained limited local access—to escalate privileges and access sensitive corporate data or system functions beyond their intended permissions. This could lead to data leakage, unauthorized configuration changes, or further compromise of enterprise mobile devices. Given the prevalence of Android devices in European workplaces and the increasing use of mobile endpoints for accessing corporate resources, the vulnerability could undermine endpoint security and data protection efforts. However, the requirement for local access limits remote exploitation risks, reducing the likelihood of widespread attacks via network vectors. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently lowers immediate threat levels but does not preclude future exploitation. Organizations handling sensitive personal data under GDPR must be vigilant, as privilege escalation could facilitate unauthorized data access, potentially leading to regulatory non-compliance and reputational damage.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigation strategies: 1) Inventory and identify all Android devices running versions 13 and 14 within the enterprise environment. 2) Restrict physical and local access to corporate Android devices to trusted personnel only, minimizing the risk of local exploitation. 3) Enforce strict mobile device management (MDM) policies that limit app installations and control permission grants to reduce the attack surface related to permission overload. 4) Monitor for unusual privilege escalations or permission changes on Android devices using endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools tailored for mobile platforms. 5) Educate users about the risks of sideloading apps or granting excessive permissions, even though user interaction is not required for exploitation, to reduce potential vectors. 6) Stay alert for official Google security patches addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once available. 7) Consider deploying additional security controls such as application whitelisting and runtime application self-protection (RASP) on mobile devices to detect and prevent unauthorized privilege escalations.