CVE-2026-0069 Overview
CVE-2026-0069 is a denial-of-service vulnerability in the Android operating system. The flaw resides in the verifySignature method of ApkChecksums.java, where unbounded resource consumption can crash the affected process. A local attacker holding low privileges can trigger the condition without user interaction.
The issue affects Google Android 14.0 and is tracked under CWE-400 (Uncontrolled Resource Consumption). Successful exploitation produces a local denial-of-service condition. The vulnerability does not grant additional execution privileges, but it impacts availability on affected devices.
Critical Impact
A local, low-privileged process can exhaust system resources during APK signature verification and crash services on Android 14.0 devices.
Affected Products
- Google Android 14.0
- ApkChecksums.java component within the Android platform
- Devices that have not applied the June 2026 Android security patch level
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-06-01 - CVE-2026-0069 published to NVD alongside the Android Security Bulletin
- 2026-06-02 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-0069
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability lives in the verifySignature routine of ApkChecksums.java, a component used by the Android package manager to validate APK signatures and checksums. Signature verification parses attacker-influenced data structures before applying size or complexity bounds. When a crafted input is supplied, the routine consumes memory or CPU until the host process crashes.
The impact is restricted to availability. Confidentiality and integrity remain unaffected, and the attacker gains no execution privileges beyond those already held. The crash, however, can disrupt package installation, verification workflows, and any system service that invokes the checksum API.
Because exploitation requires only local access with low privileges and no user interaction, any installed application or local code path that can reach the verification API may invoke the condition. This expands the practical attack surface to third-party apps that supply APK metadata to system components.
Root Cause
The root cause is uncontrolled resource consumption during signature verification. The implementation does not enforce sufficient limits on the size or recursion depth of structures processed inside verifySignature, allowing crafted input to exhaust available memory or CPU.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is local. A low-privileged process on the device passes malformed or oversized APK signature data to a system component that invokes ApkChecksums.verifySignature. The verification path then crashes due to resource exhaustion, producing a denial-of-service condition on the affected service.
No verified proof-of-concept code has been published. Technical specifics are described in the Android Security Bulletin June 2026.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-0069
Indicators of Compromise
- Repeated crashes or tombstone entries referencing ApkChecksums or verifySignature in logcat output
- Unexpected restarts of the package manager or system services that handle APK validation
- Local processes submitting unusually large or malformed APK signature payloads
Detection Strategies
- Monitor Android system logs for SIGABRT or OutOfMemoryError exceptions originating from the package verification stack
- Correlate application install or update events with subsequent service crashes on the same device
- Track installed applications that invoke checksum verification APIs at abnormal frequency or with abnormal payload sizes
Monitoring Recommendations
- Centralize mobile device logs and crash telemetry for review by the security operations team
- Alert on process termination patterns tied to the Android package manager across the managed fleet
- Compare device security patch levels against the June 2026 Android Security Bulletin baseline
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-0069
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the June 2026 Android security patch level on all Android 14.0 devices
- Inventory managed devices and identify those still reporting a security patch level earlier than 2026-06-01
- Restrict installation of untrusted third-party applications until patches are deployed
Patch Information
Google addressed CVE-2026-0069 in the June 2026 Android Security Bulletin. Device manufacturers integrate the fix into builds that report a security patch level of 2026-06-01 or later. Refer to the Android Security Bulletin June 2026 for the authoritative patch reference and device-specific guidance.
Workarounds
- Enforce mobile device management (MDM) policies that block sideloading and restrict installs to vetted sources
- Limit application permissions and reduce the number of local apps that can submit APK metadata to system components
- Monitor device patch levels through MDM and quarantine devices that remain on pre-patch builds
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
