CVE-2026-58962 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 11/02/2026
In moveTaskToFrontLocked of ActivityTaskManagerService.java, there is a possible permission bypass due to a missing permission check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2026
The vulnerability identified in the Android operating system's ActivityTaskManagerService involves a critical flaw within the moveTaskToFrontLocked method, which resides in the core activity management subsystem responsible for handling task lifecycle and visibility states. This specific component manages how applications are brought to the foreground or background, a fundamental operation that dictates user interface hierarchy and application state transitions on mobile devices. The root cause of this security issue is a missing permission check during the execution of this method, which allows any entity with access to invoke the function without verifying whether it possesses the necessary system-level privileges to perform such an action. This oversight represents a significant deviation from secure coding practices where privilege escalation vectors are typically mitigated through strict authorization checks before executing sensitive operations that alter system state or application visibility.
From a technical perspective, this flaw falls under the category of improper access control, specifically aligning with CWE-269 which denotes Improper Privilege Management. The absence of a verification step means that an attacker who has achieved code execution within a lower-privileged context can exploit this gap to elevate their privileges without requiring additional permissions or user interaction. This is particularly dangerous because it bypasses the standard security model designed to isolate applications and restrict their access to system resources. By leveraging this vulnerability, a malicious application could manipulate task management services to force other applications into specific states, potentially leading to unauthorized data exposure or disruption of service availability for legitimate users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for local privilege escalation. An attacker who exploits this flaw can gain higher-level access within the Android framework, which may allow them to interact with protected APIs, read sensitive user data from other applications, or modify system settings that are normally restricted. Since no additional execution privileges are needed beyond what might be obtained through a less severe initial compromise, and because user interaction is not required for exploitation, the attack surface is significantly expanded. This makes the vulnerability highly attractive to threat actors seeking to establish persistent access or escalate their foothold on an infected device without triggering user-based security warnings that could alert the victim.
In terms of industry-standard mapping, this vulnerability can be correlated with MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion within mobile environments. Specifically, it aligns with tactics where adversaries seek to move laterally or escalate privileges by abusing system services. The lack of user interaction further classifies this as a stealthy attack vector that does not rely on social engineering or physical access post-compromise, relying instead purely on software logic flaws. This characteristic makes detection and prevention challenging without proactive security measures such as static analysis during development or runtime monitoring for anomalous activity in the ActivityTaskManagerService.
To mitigate this risk, developers must implement rigorous permission verification within the moveTaskFrontLocked method to ensure that only authorized components can invoke task management operations. This involves adding explicit checks using Android's built-in permission validation mechanisms before proceeding with any state changes. Additionally, adopting a principle of least privilege across all system services is crucial to minimize the impact of such oversights. Security teams should also consider implementing runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions that can detect and block unauthorized calls to critical framework methods. Regular code audits focusing on access control logic in core Android subsystems are essential to identify and rectify similar vulnerabilities before they can be exploited in production environments, ensuring the integrity of the mobile operating system's security model remains intact against local privilege escalation attempts.