VulnerabilityPublished 2 Mar 2026Updated 11 Mar 2026

CVE-2026-0023: Google Android · Elevation of Privilege

Affects Google AndroidSource CVE Database V5

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Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.8 High.

Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 11:52 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

7.8High

How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.

EPSS: 0.08% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 0% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

Bold values are the worst case: easiest to exploit or largest impact.

Attack Vector: Local: The vulnerable component is not bound to the network stack and the attacker’s path is via read/write/execute capabilities. Either: the attacker exploits the vulnerability by accessing the target system locally (e.g., keyboard, console), or remotely (e.g., SSH); or the attacker relies on User Interaction by another person to perform actions required to exploit the vulnerability (e.g., tricking a legitimate user into opening a malicious document).
Attack Complexity: Low: Specialized access conditions or extenuating circumstances do not exist. An attacker can expect repeatable success against the vulnerable component.
Privileges Required: Low: The attacker is authorized with (i.e., requires) privileges that provide basic user capabilities that could normally affect only settings and files owned by a user. Alternatively, an attacker with Low privileges may have the ability to cause an impact only to non-sensitive resources.
User Interaction: None: The vulnerable system can be exploited without any interaction from any user.
Scope: Unchanged: An exploited vulnerability can only affect resources managed by the same security authority. In this case, the vulnerable component and the impacted component are either the same, or both are managed by the same security authority.
Confidentiality: High: There is total loss of confidentiality, resulting in all resources within the impacted component being divulged to the attacker. Alternatively, access to only some restricted information is obtained, but the disclosed information presents a direct, serious impact.
Integrity: High: There is a total loss of integrity, or a complete loss of protection. For example, the attacker is able to modify any/all files protected by the impacted component. Alternatively, only some files can be modified, but malicious modification would present a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component.
Availability: High: There is total loss of availability, resulting in the attacker being able to fully deny access to resources in the impacted component; this loss is either sustained (while the attacker continues to deliver the attack) or persistent (the condition persists even after the attack has completed). Alternatively, the attacker has the ability to deny some availability, but the loss of availability presents a direct, serious consequence to the impacted component (e.g., the attacker cannot disrupt existing connections, but can prevent new connections; the attacker can repeatedly exploit a vulnerability that, in each instance of a successful attack, leaks a only small amount of memory, but after repeated exploitation causes a service to become completely unavailable).

Definitions: FIRST CVSS v3.1 specification.

Exploitation evidence

Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 2 Mar 2026
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: evidence found.
Public exploit code: GitHub proofs of concept
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), GitHub proofs of concept, the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 30 Oct 2026.

Disclosed: The CVE record is public on cve.org. Its publication is t = 0.
Detectable: A public nuclei template can find exposed instances, for defenders and attackers alike.
Weaponized: A Metasploit exploit module or Exploit-DB entry exists (Metasploit scanner modules do not count), or CISA SSVC or the CVSS exploit maturity reports a public proof of concept.
Exploited in the wild: CISA KEV lists it, CISA SSVC rates exploitation active, or a source reports attacks.
Observed by OffSeq Mirage: OffSeq Mirage honeypot sensors recorded attack traffic for this CVE, or found exposed hosts without attack traffic.

Moments are spaced evenly, not to scale; a dashed line marks a gap of six months or more. Deltas count from t = 0. Sources that give only a date (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, or a time of exactly 00:00Z) read “same day” rather than hours. Metasploit modules carry the flaw’s disclosure date, not their release date, and nuclei templates carry no date, so both appear above but not on the timeline.

What to do

Affected software

Product	Affected	Fixed in
GoogleAndroid	Affected 14 – 16-qpr2 4 affected builds	Fixed in–

AI-suggested

Apply official security patches from Google or device manufacturers as soon as they become available to address the missing permission check in PackageInstallerService.
Restrict installation of apps from untrusted or unknown sources to reduce the risk of malicious apps exploiting this vulnerability.
Implement mobile device management (MDM) policies to enforce app vetting and limit privilege escalation risks.
Monitor device logs and behavior for unusual privilege escalation attempts or unauthorized package installer activity.
Educate users on the risks of installing apps from outside official app stores and encourage adherence to security best practices.
For organizations, consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting local privilege escalation attempts on Android devices.
Regularly audit installed applications and permissions to identify potentially risky or outdated software.
Limit local access to devices by enforcing strong authentication and physical security controls to reduce opportunities for exploitation.

Description

CVE-2026-0023 is a high-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability in Google Android affecting versions 14 through 16-qpr2. The flaw exists in the createSessionInternal method of PackageInstallerService.java, where a missing permission check allows a local app to update its ownership improperly. Exploitation requires only low privileges and no user interaction, enabling an attacker to escalate privileges locally. This vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as it allows unauthorized privilege escalation. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. Android devices running affected versions are at risk, especially those with apps installed from untrusted sources. Mitigation involves applying patches once available and restricting app installation sources. Countries with large Android user bases and significant mobile ecosystems, such as the United States, India, Brazil, Germany, Japan, and South Korea, are most likely to be affected. Organizations should prioritize patching and monitoring for suspicious local privilege escalation attempts to reduce risk.

Impact

The vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected Android devices, potentially gaining access to sensitive information, modifying system files, or disrupting device operations. This can lead to unauthorized data disclosure, integrity violations through unauthorized changes, and availability issues if critical services are disrupted. Since exploitation does not require user interaction and only low privileges are needed initially, the risk is elevated for devices with untrusted or malicious apps installed. Organizations relying on Android devices for sensitive operations, including enterprises and government agencies, face increased risk of insider threats or malware leveraging this flaw. The widespread deployment of affected Android versions globally means a large number of devices are vulnerable, increasing the attack surface. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future attacks, especially as threat actors develop proof-of-concept exploits. The vulnerability could be used as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks, including persistent device compromise and lateral movement within networks.

Summary

CVE-2026-0023 is a vulnerability in Google Android's PackageInstallerService component, specifically in the createSessionInternal method within PackageInstallerService.java. The vulnerability arises due to a missing permission check that allows an application with limited privileges to update its ownership improperly. This flaw enables a local attacker to escalate privileges without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction, making exploitation straightforward once local access is obtained. The vulnerability affects Android versions 14, 15, 16, and 16-qpr2. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.8, indicating high severity, with attack vector being local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high, as an attacker could gain elevated privileges to access sensitive data, modify system components, or disrupt device functionality. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability represents a significant risk due to the ease of exploitation and the widespread use of affected Android versions. The underlying weakness is classified under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management), highlighting a failure to enforce proper permission checks during session creation in the package installer service. This flaw could be leveraged by malicious apps or threat actors with local access to compromise device security and potentially pivot to further attacks.

CWE-269Improper Privilege Management (opens in a new tab)
Class weaknessLikelihood of exploit: MediumOWASP Top 10 A06:2025: Insecure Design (opens in a new tab)
The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.
MITRE discourages mapping vulnerabilities to this broad entry; the root cause is usually a more specific weakness.
Architecture and Design · Operation
Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
Architecture and Design · Separation of Privilege
Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
Architecture and Design · Separation of Privilege
Consider following the principle of separation of privilege. Require multiple conditions to be met before permitting access to a system resource.
OWASP Cheat Sheets
Docker Security (opens in a new tab)
Third Party Javascript Management (opens in a new tab)
Virtual Patching (opens in a new tab)
Secure Design Principles (opens in a new tab)
OWASP ASVS 4.0.3
V1.4.4 (opens in a new tab)
V1.4.5 (opens in a new tab)
V1.10.1 (opens in a new tab)
Attack patterns
Restful Privilege Elevation (opens in a new tab)
Privilege Abuse (opens in a new tab)
Privilege Escalation (opens in a new tab)
From MITRE CWE, MITRE CAPEC and OWASP (Top 10, OpenCRE).

References

source.android.com/docs/security/bulletin/2026/2026-03-01 (opens in a new tab)

Community reviews

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 17 Mar 2026, 19:04 UTC

Public exploits and detectionGitHub proofs of concept

WeaknessesCWE-269

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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