CVE-2026-59020 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 11/02/2026
In removeUserData of DevicePolicyManagerService.java, there is a possible denial of service due to a race condition. This could lead to local denial of service with User 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 removeUserData function within DevicePolicyManagerService.java represents a critical security flaw rooted in improper synchronization mechanisms during user data removal operations. As a cyber security specialist analyzing this defect, it is evident that the race condition arises when multiple threads or processes attempt to access and modify shared state related to user profiles without adequate locking or atomicity guarantees. This lack of thread safety allows for unpredictable execution paths where one process may read inconsistent data while another is in the midst of modifying it, leading to system instability. The core technical flaw lies in the failure to enforce mutual exclusion during critical sections of code that handle sensitive device policy configurations and user profile deletions, which are inherently complex operations requiring strict state consistency.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables a local denial of service attack with minimal prerequisites for exploitation. An attacker possessing user execution privileges can trigger concurrent requests or actions that exploit the timing window in the removeUserData function. Since user interaction is not required to initiate the exploit, the risk surface is significantly expanded as any application running under the compromised user context could potentially trigger this condition. The consequence of such an attack is typically a crash of the DevicePolicyManagerService or the broader Android system process responsible for managing device policies. This results in a temporary loss of functionality where users cannot manage their profiles, access enterprise-managed applications, or utilize features dependent on stable policy enforcement until the service restarts or the device is rebooted.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which classifies race conditions involving concurrent processes that can lead to unexpected behavior and system failures. Furthermore, in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework for mobile platforms, this exploit technique relates to techniques aimed at disrupting service availability through resource exhaustion or state corruption rather than direct data exfiltration. The attacker leverages the timing discrepancy to force the system into an unrecoverable error state during a high-stakes operation like user removal, thereby achieving denial of service without needing elevated privileges. This highlights the importance of robust concurrency control in system-level services that handle privileged operations affecting multiple users or security domains.
Mitigation strategies must focus on enforcing strict synchronization primitives within the removeUserData function to ensure atomicity and consistency during data deletion processes. Developers should implement proper locking mechanisms, such as read-write locks or synchronized blocks, around all shared state modifications related to user profiles and device policies. Additionally, implementing defensive programming practices like checking for null references after potential race conditions can prevent crashes caused by inconsistent states. Regular code audits focusing on concurrency issues in system services are essential to identify similar vulnerabilities across the platform. For administrators, ensuring that devices run patched versions of the operating system where these synchronization fixes have been applied is crucial to maintaining service availability and preventing unauthorized denial of service attacks from low-privileged applications.