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CVE-2026-20981VulnerabilityPublished

CVE-2026-20981: Samsung Mobile Devices · Improper Input Validation

Affects Samsung Mobile DevicesSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 5.4 Medium.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 07:57 UTC

CVSS 4.0 base score
5.4Medium
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 12% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:4.0/AV:P/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 4 Feb 2026

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq 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 2026-10-26.

What to do

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Samsung MobileSamsung Mobile DevicesAffected–Fixed in–

AI-suggested

1. Enforce strict physical security controls to prevent unauthorized access to devices, including secure storage and access policies. 2. Implement device encryption and strong authentication mechanisms to reduce the risk of privilege escalation even with physical access. 3. Monitor device logs and system behavior for unusual command execution or privilege escalations indicative of exploitation attempts. 4. Educate employees about the risks of device theft and insider threats, emphasizing the importance of reporting lost or stolen devices immediately. 5. Once Samsung releases the security update in the SMR February 2026 Release 1, prioritize timely patch deployment across all affected devices. 6. Consider deploying mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies, remotely wipe compromised devices, and control application permissions. 7. Limit privileged user accounts on devices to reduce the attack surface for privilege escalation. 8. Regularly audit device configurations and installed software to detect unauthorized changes.

Description

CVE-2026-20981 is a medium severity vulnerability in Samsung Mobile devices caused by improper input validation in the FacAtFunction component prior to the SMR February 2026 Release 1. This flaw allows a privileged physical attacker to execute arbitrary commands with system-level privileges. Exploitation requires physical access and privileged status, with no user interaction needed. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability due to the potential for full system compromise. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. European organizations using Samsung Mobile devices could be at risk, especially in countries with high Samsung market penetration and critical infrastructure relying on these devices. Mitigation involves restricting physical access, monitoring for unusual system commands, and promptly applying Samsung's security updates once released. Countries like Germany, the UK, France, Italy, and Spain are most likely affected due to their large Samsung user bases and strategic importance. The vulnerability's medium severity reflects the balance between high impact and the requirement for physical privileged access.

References

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