CVE-2026-68591 in MT2737
Summary
by MITRE • 11/02/2026
In Modem, there is a possible escalation of privilege due to a permissions bypass. This could lead to local escalation of privilege (EoP) if a malicious actor has already obtained the System privilege. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: ALPS09608864 / ALPS09327759; Issue ID: MSV-2958.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2026
The vulnerability identified under issue identifier MSV-2958 and addressed by patch identifiers ALPS09608864 and ALPS09327759 represents a critical security flaw within the modem subsystem of the affected device architecture. This specific weakness is classified as an escalation of privilege (EoP) resulting from improper access control mechanisms, specifically categorized under CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management. The core technical nature of this vulnerability lies in a permissions bypass that allows processes or actors with existing elevated privileges to further escalate their rights beyond the intended scope defined by the system's security policy. In modern mobile and embedded device architectures, the modem processor often operates as an isolated subsystem communicating with the application processor via shared memory regions or inter-processor communication channels. When these boundaries are not strictly enforced through rigorous permission checks, it creates a pathway for privilege escalation that can compromise the integrity of the entire system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe because it facilitates local escalation of privilege without requiring any user interaction. This characteristic significantly lowers the barrier to exploitation for an attacker who has already achieved initial access with System-level privileges or equivalent high-privilege context on the device. While the description notes that the actor must have obtained System privilege, in many architectural contexts, achieving even limited system-level access can be a precursor to full control if such escalation vectors exist. Once exploited, this flaw allows an attacker to bypass security restrictions and gain unrestricted access to sensitive modem functions, network configurations, and potentially kernel-level resources. This could lead to the interception of cellular communications, manipulation of radio settings, or further lateral movement within the device's operating system environment. The absence of user interaction means that automated malware or remote code execution exploits can trigger this condition silently in the background, making detection by end-users nearly impossible without specialized security monitoring tools.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion. Specifically, it relates to mechanisms where an adversary leverages existing high-level access to expand their control surface, potentially mapping to tactics such as Privilege Escalation (T1068) or Access Token Manipulation depending on the specific implementation details of how the modem handles identity tokens and permission grants. The lack of user interaction also places this within the realm of passive exploitation vectors that do not rely on social engineering or physical access post-compromise, increasing its risk profile in automated attack scenarios.
To mitigate the risks associated with MSV-2958, it is imperative to apply the provided patches ALPS09608864 and ALPS09327759 immediately upon availability. These updates likely implement stricter validation checks within the modem firmware or driver layer to ensure that privilege boundaries are correctly enforced during inter-process communication. Beyond patching, organizations should enforce strict least-privilege principles across all device components, ensuring that no single process retains more permissions than necessary for its function. Additionally, implementing runtime application self-protection (RASP) mechanisms and monitoring for anomalous behavior in modem-related system calls can help detect attempts to exploit this vulnerability before full compromise occurs. Regular security audits focusing on inter-processor communication protocols and memory isolation techniques are also recommended to prevent similar permission bypass flaws from being introduced during future development cycles.