VulnerabilityPublished 2 Mar 2026Updated 11 Mar 2026

CVE-2026-0029: Google Android · Elevation of Privilege

Affects Google AndroidSource CVE Database V5

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Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.4 High.

Data as of 30 Oct 2026, 11:52 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score

8.4High

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

EPSS: 0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 1% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.

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

Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
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: None: The attacker is unauthorized prior to attack, and therefore does not require any access to settings or files to carry out an attack.
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: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
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), 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 =Android kernel	Fixed in–

AI-suggested

Until official patches are released by Google, organizations should implement strict controls to limit local access to Android devices, including enforcing strong physical security and device lock policies. Employ mobile device management (MDM) solutions to monitor device behavior and detect anomalies indicative of privilege escalation attempts. Disable or restrict installation of untrusted applications and avoid granting unnecessary permissions that could facilitate local code execution. Regularly audit devices for signs of compromise and maintain up-to-date backups to enable recovery if devices are compromised. Once patches become available, prioritize rapid deployment across all affected devices, including those managed by third parties or in BYOD environments. Additionally, educate users about the risks of installing unverified apps or granting excessive permissions. For organizations with sensitive data, consider implementing additional endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools tailored for mobile platforms to detect kernel-level exploits. Collaborate with vendors and security communities to stay informed about emerging exploit techniques related to this vulnerability.

Description

CVE-2026-0029 is a high-severity local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Android kernel's pkvm component. The flaw arises from a logic error in the __pkvm_init_vm function, causing possible memory corruption. Exploitation requires no additional execution privileges or user interaction, making it easier for a local attacker to escalate privileges. This vulnerability impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected Android devices. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the high CVSS score (8.4) indicates significant risk. Organizations relying on Android devices should prioritize patching once updates are available. The vulnerability primarily affects devices running the Android kernel with the pkvm component, which is widely used globally. Countries with large Android user bases and strategic interest in mobile security are most at risk. Immediate mitigation involves restricting local access and monitoring for suspicious activity until patches are deployed.

Impact

The impact of CVE-2026-0029 is significant for organizations and individuals using Android devices. Successful exploitation allows a local attacker to escalate privileges to kernel level, potentially gaining full control over the device. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, installation of persistent malware, bypassing security controls, and disruption of device availability. For enterprises relying on Android devices for communication, data access, or operational control, this vulnerability could facilitate lateral movement within networks or compromise endpoint security. The lack of required user interaction and no need for prior privileges lowers the barrier for exploitation by malicious insiders or malware that has gained limited access. Given the widespread use of Android globally, the vulnerability poses a broad risk, especially for sectors with high-value data or critical infrastructure relying on mobile devices. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but also underscores the urgency to patch before exploitation becomes widespread.

Summary

CVE-2026-0029 is a vulnerability identified in the Android kernel, specifically within the pkvm (Protected Kernel Virtual Machine) component's __pkvm_init_vm function. The issue stems from a logic error that leads to memory corruption, which can be exploited by a local attacker to escalate privileges without requiring any prior execution privileges or user interaction. This means an attacker who already has some form of local access to the device can leverage this flaw to gain higher privileges, potentially full kernel-level control. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management), indicating that the flaw allows unauthorized privilege escalation. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.4 reflects a high severity, with the vector indicating local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although no public exploits are currently known, the nature of the vulnerability and its location in the kernel make it a critical concern for Android device security. The pkvm component is integral to Android's security architecture, designed to isolate and protect kernel operations, so a compromise here could undermine the entire device's security model. The vulnerability was reserved in October 2025 and published in March 2026, indicating a recent discovery and disclosure. No patches are linked yet, so mitigation currently relies on limiting local access and monitoring.

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

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Exploitation evidence

What to do

Affected software

Description

AI analysisMachine-generated, updated 17 Mar 2026, 19:05 UTC

WeaknessesCWE-269

Technical details

References

Community reviews

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