CVE-2026-108504 in Z80 Ultra
Summary
by MITRE • 10/10/2026
ZTE Z80 Ultra has an unauthorized information disclosure vulnerability. The access control for methods within the framework is insufficient. An attacker can exploit this method to read device-related information.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/10/2026
The identified security flaw in the ZTE Z80 Ultra represents a critical failure in application-level access controls, specifically categorized under CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management and CWE-732 Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource. This vulnerability stems from an insufficient enforcement of authorization policies within the device's framework methods, allowing processes or users with lower privileges to invoke functions intended exclusively for higher-privileged system components. In modern mobile operating systems such as Android, which underpins many ZTE devices, strict separation between user applications and system services is paramount. When this boundary is compromised due to weak access control logic, it creates a pathway for unauthorized data exfiltration that bypasses standard security mechanisms designed to protect sensitive device state information.
From an operational perspective, the exploitation of this vulnerability enables an attacker with local application-level access to read device-related information without requiring root privileges or physical access beyond initial app installation. The specific nature of the disclosed information typically includes hardware identifiers such as IMEI numbers, serial numbers, MAC addresses, and potentially battery status or network connection details depending on the specific framework methods targeted. This capability significantly expands the attack surface for mobile devices by allowing malicious applications to fingerprint unique device characteristics. Such data is highly valuable in botnet recruitment campaigns where attackers seek to identify distinct hardware profiles to avoid detection or to correlate activities across multiple compromised devices. Furthermore, exposure of these identifiers can facilitate more sophisticated social engineering attacks or targeted phishing efforts that leverage specific device configurations for credibility.
The technical mechanism behind this flaw likely involves the lack of proper permission checks within the framework's internal APIs. In a secure implementation, any method exposing sensitive system state must verify that the calling process holds the necessary Android permissions defined in the manifest file and enforced by the package manager or security daemon. The absence of these checks means that any installed application can invoke these methods directly through reflection or standard API calls if they are exported improperly. This type of vulnerability is often a result of development oversights where developers expose internal helper classes for convenience without adequately restricting their visibility to other applications on the same device. It reflects a broader issue in software supply chain security where third-party libraries or framework extensions may not adhere strictly to least-privilege principles, inadvertently creating backdoors into core system functionalities.
Mitigation strategies must address both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. For end-users, the primary defense is ensuring that all device firmware and application updates are applied promptly as vendors release patches that correct these permission misconfigurations. Users should also exercise caution when granting permissions to applications, particularly those requesting access to phone state or identity information, by reviewing app reviews and developer reputations before installation. From a development standpoint, the vendor must conduct rigorous code audits focusing on exported components and framework methods to ensure that all sensitive data retrieval functions are protected with appropriate signature-level or permission-based restrictions. Implementing strict input validation and enforcing principle of least privilege across all internal APIs will prevent unauthorized processes from accessing restricted resources. Additionally, integrating static application security testing tools into the CI/CD pipeline can help detect such access control flaws early in the development lifecycle before they reach production devices.
This vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Collection and Exfiltration over C2 channels if combined with network transmission capabilities, specifically mapping to T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter for local execution of malicious code that queries system properties. The exploitation path resembles common mobile malware behaviors where initial access is gained through a seemingly benign application that then escalates its privileges or abuses existing permissions to harvest sensitive data. Addressing this issue requires a holistic approach combining secure coding practices, rigorous testing protocols, and proactive user education regarding permission management on Android-based devices. By resolving the underlying framework flaws, ZTE can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized information disclosure and enhance the overall security posture of its mobile hardware offerings against increasingly sophisticated mobile threat actors.