CVE-2025-26443: Google Android Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-26443 Overview

CVE-2025-26443 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability affecting Google Android's HtmlToSpannedParser.java component within the ManagedProvisioning package. A logic error in the parseHtml function allows attackers to bypass the "Install from unknown sources" security restriction, enabling unauthorized app installation on affected devices. This vulnerability requires local access and user interaction to exploit, but successful exploitation grants elevated privileges without requiring additional execution permissions.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability enables attackers to bypass Android's core security mechanism for controlling app installations, potentially allowing malicious applications to be installed on devices without user consent to enable unknown sources.

Affected Products

• Google Android 13.0
• Google Android 14.0
• Google Android 15.0

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-09-04 - CVE-2025-26443 published to NVD
• 2025-09-08 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-26443

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability resides in the parseHtml method of HtmlToSpannedParser.java, a component responsible for parsing and rendering HTML content within Android's ManagedProvisioning application. The flaw stems from a logic error (CWE-693: Protection Mechanism Failure) that fails to properly enforce Android's security controls for app installation from unknown sources.

Android's unknown sources restriction is a critical security boundary designed to prevent unauthorized app installations. When this protection is bypassed, attackers can install malicious applications without the user explicitly enabling the "Install from unknown sources" setting in their device security preferences. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the ManagedProvisioning context, which handles enterprise device management and provisioning workflows.

Root Cause

The root cause is a logic error in the HTML parsing code that improperly handles certain input conditions. This protection mechanism failure allows the app installation process to proceed without the requisite security checks. The flaw exists in the code path that processes HTML content, where improper validation allows bypassing the normal installation source verification.

Attack Vector

The attack requires local access to the target device and user interaction for successful exploitation. An attacker would need to craft malicious content that, when processed by the vulnerable parseHtml function, triggers the logic error and initiates an unauthorized app installation. The attack scenario could involve:

1. Delivering specially crafted HTML content to the device through various means (email, messaging, web browsing)
2. Tricking the user into interacting with the malicious content
3. The parseHtml function processes the content and bypasses installation restrictions
4. A malicious application is installed without proper authorization checks

The vulnerability does not require the attacker to have additional execution privileges, making it accessible to lower-privileged threat actors who can deliver content to target devices.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-26443

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected app installations appearing on devices without user consent
• Applications installed without the "Install from unknown sources" setting being enabled
• Unusual activity within the ManagedProvisioning application logs
• Presence of suspicious APK files that were installed through non-standard channels

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for anomalous app installation events, particularly those that bypass standard installation prompts
• Implement Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to track application inventory changes
• Review device logs for unusual ManagedProvisioning activity or HTML parsing events
• Deploy endpoint detection tools capable of identifying unauthorized package installations on Android devices

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for the ManagedProvisioning application where possible
• Implement centralized log collection for enterprise Android deployments
• Set up alerts for new application installations that don't match expected software deployment patterns
• Monitor for privilege escalation indicators on managed Android devices

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-26443

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the latest Android security updates from Google immediately
• Review the Android Security Bulletin June 2025 for patch details
• Audit installed applications on potentially affected devices for unauthorized installations
• Consider restricting access to untrusted HTML content on vulnerable devices until patches are applied

Patch Information

Google has released a security patch addressing this vulnerability as part of the June 2025 Android Security Bulletin. The fix is available in the ManagedProvisioning update (commit hash: 69a363847696f6f79f81038cad03c7950bc82054). Organizations should ensure all Android devices running versions 13.0, 14.0, and 15.0 receive this update through their standard patch management processes.

Workarounds

• Restrict installation of applications to trusted enterprise app stores only via MDM policies
• Implement network-level filtering to block delivery of potentially malicious HTML content
• Educate users about the risks of interacting with untrusted content
• Consider temporarily disabling or restricting the ManagedProvisioning application functionality on critical devices until patches can be applied

# Verify Android security patch level on device
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch

# Check if ManagedProvisioning package is updated
adb shell dumpsys package com.android.managedprovisioning | grep versionCode