CVE-2026-20592 in MT2716
Summary
by MITRE • 11/02/2026
In Modem, there is a possible information disclosure due to side channel information disclosure. This could lead to local information disclosure if a malicious actor has already obtained the System privilege. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: MOLY01744265; Issue ID: MSV-9505.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2026
The vulnerability identified under issue identifier MSV-9505 and addressed by patch MOLY01744265 represents a critical security flaw within the modem subsystem of mobile devices, specifically characterized as an information disclosure via side channel analysis. This type of vulnerability does not rely on traditional software logic errors such as buffer overflows or injection flaws but instead exploits physical characteristics of the system during operation to leak sensitive data. Side channel attacks leverage indirect information sources, including execution time, power consumption, electromagnetic leaks, or acoustic emissions, to infer secret keys, cryptographic states, or other protected memory contents that are not directly accessible through standard application programming interfaces. In the context of a modem component, this often involves extracting private cryptographic material used for network authentication, such as IMSI keys or encryption secrets, which are essential for securing cellular communications and user identity privacy.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential to compromise the fundamental security assumptions of mobile communication protocols. Although exploitation requires the attacker to have already obtained System privilege on the device, the presence of a side channel leak significantly lowers the barrier for subsequent attacks once that initial foothold is achieved. An adversary with system-level access can monitor the modem's power consumption or timing variations during cryptographic operations to reconstruct sensitive data without triggering traditional intrusion detection systems. This capability undermines the confidentiality guarantees provided by encryption standards and could lead to unauthorized tracking of users, interception of communications, or impersonation on cellular networks if derived keys are successfully recovered. The fact that user interaction is not required for exploitation means that automated tools can be deployed remotely once system privileges are compromised, increasing the risk of large-scale data exfiltration in scenarios where device management systems are breached.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which covers Information Exposure, and more specifically CWE-385 related to Side Channel Attacks on Cryptographic Operations. It also maps to techniques found in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly T1497.003 for Virtualization/Sandbox Evasion via Timing Analysis if used to detect security controls, or broader categories of data exfiltration through side channels such as those described under hardware-based attacks. The reliance on physical layer characteristics rather than logical flaws makes this a sophisticated threat that requires specialized countermeasures beyond standard software patching. Mitigation strategies must include both the application of the provided vendor patch and architectural changes to mitigate timing variations, such as implementing constant-time algorithms for cryptographic operations, adding noise or random delays to mask execution times, and utilizing hardware-based isolation features like TrustZone to separate sensitive modem processes from general-purpose operating system components where possible.