CVE-2026-55265 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 10/05/2026
In multiple functions of PduParser.java, there is a possible out of bounds read due to a missing bounds check. This could lead to a remote denial of service with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/05/2026
The vulnerability identified in the PduParser class represents a critical input validation failure that exposes applications handling Protocol Data Units (PDUs) to severe operational risks. PDUs are fundamental units of data exchanged between network protocols, and parsers responsible for interpreting these structures must rigorously validate all indices before accessing underlying arrays or buffers. In this specific instance, multiple functions within the PduParser.java implementation fail to perform necessary bounds checking on input parameters derived from external sources. This omission allows an attacker to supply crafted values that exceed the allocated memory limits of the internal data structures. When the application attempts to access these out-of-bounds indices, it triggers a runtime exception or crashes the process, as the Java Virtual Machine detects illegal array access and terminates execution to prevent further corruption.
From a technical perspective, this flaw is classified under CWE-125, which denotes Out-of-Bounds Read vulnerabilities. The absence of explicit checks for minimum and maximum valid indices means that any integer value provided by an external entity can be used to trigger the fault. Since PDU parsing often occurs during the initial stages of network communication handling, such as in SMS processing or other telecommunication protocol implementations, this vulnerability is particularly dangerous. It does not require complex exploitation techniques involving code injection or privilege escalation because the impact is achieved simply through malformed input that causes a crash. The lack of additional execution privileges needed for exploitation underscores the ease with which an attacker can leverage this weakness against any service running the affected software without authentication.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is primarily centered on availability, manifesting as a remote denial of service. An adversary can send specially crafted PDU messages to the target system repeatedly or in high volumes, causing continuous crashes and forcing the application to restart. This disrupts normal business operations and degrades user experience significantly. In environments where uptime is critical, such as mobile network infrastructure or enterprise communication gateways, this type of attack can lead to substantial financial loss and reputational damage. The fact that user interaction is not required for exploitation further amplifies the threat level, allowing fully automated attacks from remote locations over a network connection without any social engineering components.
To mitigate this risk, developers must implement strict input validation within all functions involved in PDU parsing. This includes adding explicit checks to ensure that array indices are greater than or equal to zero and less than the length of the target data structure before any read operation is attempted. Defensive programming practices should be adopted universally across the codebase to prevent similar issues in other modules. Additionally, integrating static analysis tools into the continuous integration pipeline can help detect such missing bounds checks early in the development lifecycle. For immediate protection, deploying a web application firewall or intrusion prevention system that inspects incoming PDU payloads for anomalous patterns may provide a layer of defense against exploitation attempts while patches are being developed and deployed.
This vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK technique T1499, Endpoint Denial of Service, specifically under the sub-technique of resource exhaustion or service disruption via application crashes. By addressing this flaw through rigorous code review and enhanced validation logic, organizations can significantly reduce their attack surface and ensure greater resilience against automated denial-of-service campaigns targeting network-facing services that rely on PDU parsing functionalities.