CVE-2025-26450 is a high-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Google Android versions 13, 14, and 15. The flaw exists in the onInputEvent method of the IInputMethodSessionWrapper.java component, where an untrusted application can inject key and motion events into the default Input Method Editor (IME) due to a missing permission check. This vulnerability allows a local attacker, without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction, to escalate their privileges on the device. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-862, which relates to improper authorization. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and requiring only limited privileges but no user interaction. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the ease of exploitation and the critical nature of the affected component, which handles input events and can potentially be leveraged to execute unauthorized actions or access sensitive information on the device. The lack of a patch link indicates that a fix may not yet be publicly available, increasing the urgency for mitigation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability presents a substantial risk, especially for enterprises relying on Android devices for sensitive communications, data access, or operational control. Successful exploitation could allow malicious local applications to gain elevated privileges, potentially bypassing security controls, accessing confidential data, or disrupting device functionality. This could lead to data breaches, unauthorized access to corporate resources, or compromise of mobile device management (MDM) controls. Given the widespread use of Android devices across European businesses and public sector entities, the vulnerability could be exploited to target high-value assets or critical infrastructure. The absence of required user interaction lowers the barrier for attackers, increasing the likelihood of exploitation in environments where device usage policies are less restrictive or where untrusted applications can be installed. This elevates the threat to both confidentiality and integrity of organizational data and systems.

European organizations should implement a multi-layered mitigation approach: 1) Enforce strict application installation policies, restricting installation to trusted sources such as Google Play Store and using enterprise app whitelisting to prevent untrusted apps from being installed. 2) Employ Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to monitor and control app permissions and detect anomalous behavior related to input events. 3) Regularly audit devices to identify and remove potentially malicious or unnecessary applications that could exploit this vulnerability. 4) Educate users about the risks of installing untrusted applications and encourage adherence to security policies. 5) Monitor vendor communications closely for official patches or updates from Google and prioritize timely deployment once available. 6) Consider implementing runtime application self-protection (RASP) or endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting suspicious input injection activities. 7) For critical environments, consider restricting physical access to devices to prevent local exploitation attempts. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling app installation and monitoring input event anomalies specific to this vulnerability.