CVE-2026-0025: Google Android Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2026-0025 Overview

CVE-2026-0025 is an information disclosure vulnerability in Android's Notification.java component that enables local privilege escalation. The flaw exists in the hasImage method, which fails to properly enforce permission boundaries, allowing an attacker to reveal sensitive information across users. This permissions bypass can lead to local escalation of privilege without requiring any additional execution privileges or user interaction.

Critical Impact

Local attackers can bypass Android's user isolation boundaries to access cross-user information and escalate privileges without user interaction.

Affected Products

• Google Android 14.0
• Google Android 15.0
• Google Android 16.0 (including QPR2 Beta 1, Beta 2, and Beta 3)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-02 - CVE-2026-0025 published to NVD
• 2026-03-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-0025

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the hasImage method within Notification.java, a core component of Android's notification framework. The flaw stems from improper permission validation when processing notification image data. Under normal circumstances, Android enforces strict user isolation to prevent applications running under one user profile from accessing data belonging to another user. However, this specific implementation fails to perform adequate permission checks before revealing image-related information from notifications.

This weakness is classified under CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor), indicating that the vulnerability allows unauthorized access to information that should be protected by access control mechanisms. The local attack vector requires the attacker to already have some form of access to the device, but notably does not require any special privileges or user interaction to exploit.

Root Cause

The root cause is a permissions bypass in the hasImage method of Notification.java. The method fails to properly validate whether the calling process has authorization to access notification image data belonging to other users. This missing permission check allows cross-user information exposure, violating Android's multi-user security model and enabling unauthorized data access between user profiles.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed locally by a malicious application or process running on the device. The exploitation path involves:

1. A local attacker installs or executes code on the Android device
2. The malicious code calls the vulnerable hasImage method in the notification framework
3. Due to missing permission validation, the method returns information about notifications from other user profiles
4. The attacker leverages this cross-user information leak to escalate privileges

No additional execution privileges are required beyond having code execution on the device, and no user interaction is needed to trigger the vulnerability. For technical details on the specific implementation flaw, refer to the Android Security Bulletin March 2026.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-0025

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected cross-user notification access attempts in system logs
• Applications making unusual calls to notification framework APIs
• Anomalous permission escalation patterns originating from unprivileged processes
• Evidence of information extraction from notification data across user boundaries

Detection Strategies

• Monitor system calls and API usage patterns related to Notification.java and the hasImage method
• Implement runtime application self-protection (RASP) to detect unauthorized notification framework access
• Deploy behavioral analysis to identify applications attempting to access data outside their user context
• Audit installed applications for potential exploitation capabilities targeting notification APIs

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for Android notification framework components
• Monitor for unusual inter-process communication (IPC) patterns involving notification services
• Track privilege escalation events following notification-related API calls
• Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting Android-specific privilege escalation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-0025

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the March 2026 Android security patch immediately on all affected devices
• Review installed applications for potential malicious behavior targeting notification APIs
• Consider temporary restrictions on untrusted application installations until patching is complete
• Enable mobile threat defense solutions to detect exploitation attempts

Patch Information

Google has addressed this vulnerability in the March 2026 Android Security Bulletin. The security update includes fixes for Android versions 14.0, 15.0, and 16.0 (including QPR2 beta releases). Organizations and users should apply the latest security patch level dated 2026-03-01 or later. Detailed patch information is available in the Android Security Bulletin March 2026.

Workarounds

• Restrict application installation to trusted sources only until patches can be applied
• Implement mobile device management (MDM) policies to limit untrusted application capabilities
• Enable Google Play Protect to scan for potentially harmful applications
• Consider using work profiles or managed device modes to provide additional isolation between user contexts

# Verify Android security patch level
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Expected output should be 2026-03-01 or later for patched devices

# Check for pending system updates
adb shell pm list packages -U | grep "com.google.android.gms"