CVE-2026-56992 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 09/15/2026
In multiple files, there is a possible permission bypass due to a confused deputy. 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 represents a classic Confused Deputy problem, which falls under the broader category of authorization failures within software security architectures. In this specific context, an application or system component acts as a deputy by performing actions on behalf of another user or process but fails to properly validate whether it has the authority to perform those actions in that specific capacity. This flaw allows an attacker who may have limited privileges to trick a higher-privileged entity into executing operations that should be restricted. The core technical issue lies in the failure of the system to distinguish between different security contexts when accessing resources, leading to a situation where permissions are inadvertently granted or bypassed based on incorrect assumptions about the caller's identity or intent.
From an industry standard perspective, this vulnerability is directly mapped to CWE-269, which defines Improper Privilege Management, and more specifically aligns with CWE-829, Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere if external inputs influence privilege levels, though the primary classification remains within authorization flaws. The operational impact is severe because it facilitates local escalation of privilege to System execution privileges. This means that an attacker who gains initial access through any vector can potentially elevate their rights to those equivalent to the system administrator or root user. Such a level of compromise allows for complete control over the affected environment, including the ability to install software, view, change, or delete confidential data, and create new accounts with full administrative privileges.
The exploitation characteristics indicate that this vulnerability does not require user interaction, which significantly lowers the barrier for attack execution. This suggests that the flaw is likely triggered by automated processes, background services, or API calls rather than direct human input through a graphical interface. The requirement of System execution privileges to exploit further implies that while the initial foothold might be low-level, the path to full compromise involves leveraging system-level components that are susceptible to this confusion deputy logic. Attackers can potentially chain this vulnerability with other local exploits to achieve persistent and deep access within the network infrastructure.
Mitigation strategies must focus on implementing strict principle of least privilege across all system components and ensuring robust identity verification at every step of resource access. Developers should review code paths where elevated privileges are used, particularly in functions that handle file operations or process management, to ensure they explicitly check permissions for both the calling context and the target resource. Implementing mandatory access control systems can also help by enforcing policies that prevent processes from accessing resources outside their defined scope regardless of user identity. Regular security audits focused on authorization logic and automated static analysis tools configured to detect confused deputy patterns are essential for identifying such flaws before deployment.