CVE-2026-56964 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
In multiple locations, there is a possible use-after-free due to a race condition. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with System execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/15/2026
The vulnerability described constitutes a critical security flaw characterized by a use-after-free error triggered by a race condition within the affected software system. A use-after-free occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, which can lead to undefined behavior, crashes, or arbitrary code execution. In this specific instance, the root cause is identified as a race condition, meaning that the vulnerability arises from improper synchronization between concurrent threads of execution. When multiple processes or threads access shared data without adequate locking mechanisms, they may interact in unintended ways. Specifically, one thread might free a memory block while another thread still holds a reference to it and attempts to access or modify that same memory region. This temporal discrepancy creates an exploitable window where the state of the system is inconsistent with its expected operational logic.
The exploitation of this vulnerability does not require user interaction, which significantly lowers the barrier for attackers seeking to compromise the system. Since no manual intervention such as clicking a link or opening a file is necessary, automated attack tools can target this flaw remotely or locally without engaging any human operator. This characteristic makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where systems are exposed to untrusted inputs or network traffic that can trigger the specific code paths leading to the race condition. The absence of user interaction implies that once an attacker gains initial access or is able to inject malicious triggers into the system, they can proceed with exploitation immediately and stealthily.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, as it allows for local escalation of privilege to System execution privileges. In most operating systems, particularly Windows-based environments where such terminology is common, achieving SYSTEM level access grants an attacker complete control over the affected machine. This includes the ability to install programs, view, change, or delete any file on the system, and create new accounts with full administrative rights. With these elevated permissions, a compromised host can serve as a pivot point for further attacks within the network, allowing lateral movement to other systems that rely on trust relationships with the initially compromised machine. The attacker effectively neutralizes all security controls enforced at lower privilege levels, rendering standard endpoint protection measures less effective if they do not specifically monitor kernel-level or high-privilege process behavior.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-416, which describes Use After Free errors, and is exacerbated by CWE-362, the Race Condition weakness. The exploitation technique likely involves manipulating thread scheduling to ensure that the memory deallocation occurs before the subsequent access attempt completes successfully. In terms of adversary tactics, this behavior corresponds to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation, such as T1055 (Process Injection) or T1134 (Access Token Manipulation), depending on how the attacker leverages the corrupted memory state to gain control over system processes. The lack of user interaction also aligns with automated exploitation strategies often seen in worm-like propagation scenarios where speed and stealth are prioritized over social engineering components.
Mitigation for this vulnerability requires immediate patching by applying the vendor-provided security update that addresses the underlying race condition. Developers must ensure proper synchronization primitives, such as mutexes or semaphores, are implemented to protect shared resources during concurrent access. For system administrators, it is crucial to monitor for unusual spikes in CPU usage or memory allocation patterns that might indicate an active exploitation attempt of this race condition. Additionally, implementing strict application whitelisting and least-privilege policies can limit the damage if a local attacker manages to trigger the vulnerability before patches are applied. Regular auditing of system logs for signs of privilege escalation attempts should also be conducted to detect potential compromises early in the attack lifecycle.