CVE-2026-59048 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 11/02/2026
In rb_cpu_init of trace.c, there is a possible out-of-bounds read due to an incorrect bounds check. This could lead to local information disclosure 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 rb_cpu_init function within trace.c represents a critical memory safety flaw characterized by an insufficient boundary validation mechanism during array or buffer access operations. In systems utilizing ring buffers, which are commonly employed in tracing frameworks to record kernel events and system calls efficiently, data integrity relies heavily on precise index management. The specific defect arises when the logic responsible for calculating read offsets fails to adequately verify that the requested position lies within the allocated memory limits of the circular buffer structure. This oversight allows an attacker or a malicious process to trigger a read operation at an invalid memory address, specifically one located beyond the end of the designated data segment. Such out-of-bounds reads are classified under CWE-125, which denotes Out-of-Bounds Read vulnerabilities where software accesses memory past the end of a buffer without checking bounds correctly.
From an operational perspective, this flaw facilitates local information disclosure with significant implications for system security posture. Because the vulnerability does not require additional execution privileges to exploit, it lowers the barrier for entry significantly compared to privilege escalation attacks. An unprivileged user or process running on the same host can potentially trigger this condition by interacting with tracing interfaces that invoke rb_cpu_init. The consequence of such an interaction is the leakage of sensitive kernel memory contents into user-space accessible buffers. This disclosed information may include cryptographic keys, internal system states, pointers to other data structures, or credentials stored in adjacent memory regions. The ability to read arbitrary kernel memory without authentication constitutes a severe breach of confidentiality and undermines the isolation guarantees provided by the operating system's security model.
The exploitation vector for this vulnerability is particularly concerning due to its lack of requirement for user interaction. This means that automated tools can probe for the condition or trigger it through standard API calls associated with tracing subsystems, such as those used in perf events or ftrace mechanisms. The absence of a need for complex social engineering or specific timing constraints makes the attack straightforward and reliable. Furthermore, since no additional privileges are needed beyond basic local access, any account on the system can potentially serve as an entry point. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers File and Directory Discovery, but in this context extends to memory disclosure techniques often categorized under data exfiltration or reconnaissance phases where attackers gather intelligence about the target environment before proceeding to more destructive actions like privilege escalation or lateral movement.
Mitigation strategies must focus on correcting the underlying code logic within trace.c to enforce strict bounds checking prior to any read operations from the ring buffer. Developers should implement explicit validation that ensures the calculated index is strictly less than the total size of the allocated buffer and handles wrap-around conditions correctly without allowing negative indices or overflow scenarios to result in invalid memory accesses. Additionally, employing static analysis tools configured with rules for CWE-125 can help identify similar patterns across the codebase before deployment. Runtime protections such as Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization (KASLR) may mitigate some impact by making it harder to predict what data is adjacent to the buffer, but they do not fix the root cause. Therefore, a prompt patch that corrects the boundary check logic in rb_cpu_init is essential to restore the integrity of the tracing subsystem and prevent unauthorized information disclosure.