CVE-2026-21099 in Samsung
Summary
by MITRE • 09/09/2026
Improper access control in SettingsProvider prior to SMR Sep-2026 Release 1 allows local attackers to access sensitive information.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/09/2026
The vulnerability identified as an improper access control flaw within the Android SettingsProvider component represents a significant security deficiency that permits unauthorized data exposure. This specific issue exists in versions of the operating system prior to the SMR September 2026 Release 1 update. The core technical failure lies in the insufficient enforcement of permission checks when handling requests for sensitive settings or configuration parameters stored within the provider. In a properly secured environment, any application attempting to read privileged data must possess specific manifest permissions that are granted only after rigorous system-level verification and user consent where applicable. However, due to this flaw, local attackers who have achieved code execution on the device can bypass these necessary access controls. This allows them to query internal settings databases directly through the content resolver interface without triggering the expected security exceptions or permission denials.
From a technical perspective, the SettingsProvider serves as a central repository for system-wide configuration data, including network preferences, display settings, and potentially more sensitive information such as location history flags, Bluetooth pairing states, or application-specific configurations that may leak user behavior patterns. The vulnerability exploits the gap between declared permissions and actual enforcement logic within the provider's query methods. When an unprivileged process issues a read request for certain protected keys, the system fails to validate whether the caller holds the requisite android.permission.READ_SETTINGS permission or other specialized privileges required by Android security architecture guidelines. This oversight effectively neutralizes the sandboxing mechanism that isolates applications from one another and from core system services, thereby elevating the attacker's capabilities beyond their intended privilege level.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is primarily centered on information disclosure and potential privacy violations. Local attackers can extract sensitive configuration data that may reveal details about the device owner's habits, connected networks, or installed application states. While this does not directly allow for arbitrary code execution or immediate system compromise, it serves as a critical reconnaissance step in an attack chain. The exposed information can be used to fingerprint the target environment, identify security configurations that are disabled by default, or gather context necessary for crafting more sophisticated social engineering attacks or targeted exploits against specific applications running on the device. In enterprise environments utilizing Mobile Device Management solutions, this could lead to the leakage of policy compliance data or corporate configuration secrets if such settings are stored within accessible provider keys.
This flaw aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-269, which describes Improper Privilege Assignment, and specifically relates to CWE-862, Missing Authorization, as the system fails to enforce access control policies before granting read operations. In terms of the MITRE ATT&CK framework for mobile platforms, this vulnerability facilitates the T1005 technique of Data from Local System, allowing adversaries to collect sensitive information directly from the device's storage and configuration layers without needing network-based exfiltration channels initially. The lack of proper authorization checks undermines the fundamental principle of least privilege that Android enforces through its permission model.
Mitigation for this vulnerability requires immediate patching by updating the operating system to SMR September 2026 Release 1 or later, where the access control logic in SettingsProvider has been corrected to strictly validate permissions before processing queries against sensitive keys. For organizations unable to update immediately due to hardware constraints or certification delays, implementing strict application whitelisting and monitoring for anomalous content resolver query patterns can provide a layer of defense-in-depth. Additionally, ensuring that all third-party applications are sourced from trusted repositories with verified signatures reduces the risk of malicious actors exploiting this flaw through compromised apps. Regular security audits focusing on permission declarations in custom system components can also help identify similar misconfigurations before they reach production environments.