CVE-2026-20410 Overview
CVE-2026-20410 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the MediaTek imgsys component shipped with Android devices. The flaw stems from a missing bounds check that allows a local attacker with System privilege to write outside an allocated buffer. Successful exploitation leads to local escalation of privilege without user interaction. MediaTek tracks the issue as MSV-5760 and addresses it under patch ID ALPS10362552. The vulnerability affects multiple MediaTek chipsets used in Android 15.0 devices, including MT6897, MT6989, MT8370, MT8390, and MT8395.
Critical Impact
A local attacker who already holds System privilege can write outside allocated memory in the imgsys driver and elevate privileges further on the device.
Affected Products
- Google Android 15.0
- MediaTek MT6897, MT6989
- MediaTek MT8370, MT8390, MT8395
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-02-02 - CVE-2026-20410 published to NVD
- 2026-02-04 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-20410
Vulnerability Analysis
The imgsys component is a MediaTek camera and image signal processing subsystem exposed to userspace through kernel driver interfaces on Android. CVE-2026-20410 is classified under [CWE-787] as an out-of-bounds write. The driver accepts caller-supplied parameters and uses them to index or copy into a fixed-size buffer without verifying that the offset or length remains within bounds. An attacker who already controls a process running with System privilege can issue a crafted request that writes attacker-controlled bytes past the buffer boundary. The corrupted memory belongs to the kernel or a privileged driver context, so the write can be leveraged to overwrite function pointers, structure fields, or adjacent allocations. The result is local privilege escalation from System to kernel-level execution. Exploitation requires no user interaction.
Root Cause
The imgsys driver omits a bounds check on a length or index argument before performing a memory write. Because validation does not occur in the kernel path, malformed input from a privileged userspace caller propagates directly into the write operation.
Attack Vector
The attack vector is local. The attacker must first obtain System privilege on the device, typically by chaining a prior vulnerability or abusing a System-level application. The attacker then sends a crafted IOCTL or driver request to the imgsys interface to trigger the out-of-bounds write.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available. See the MediaTek Security Bulletin February 2026 for vendor details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-20410
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected kernel oops or panic logs referencing the imgsys driver or related image processing subsystems.
- Privileged processes issuing unusual IOCTL sequences to MediaTek camera or image driver device nodes.
- Installation of unsigned or sideloaded applications that subsequently invoke MediaTek vendor-specific driver interfaces.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor Android device logs (logcat, dmesg) for crashes, segmentation faults, or SELinux denials tied to the imgsys component.
- Track applications that request System-level capabilities and interact with vendor HAL services on affected MediaTek chipsets.
- Inspect security patch level via ro.build.version.security_patch to identify devices missing the February 2026 patch.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enroll MediaTek-based Android fleets in mobile threat defense tooling to surface privilege-escalation attempts and unexpected kernel behavior.
- Forward device telemetry and crash reports to a centralized data lake for correlation across the fleet.
- Alert on rooted or jailbroken device states, which are prerequisites for many local privilege escalation chains.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-20410
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the February 2026 MediaTek security patch level on all affected devices as soon as the OEM makes it available.
- Inventory devices running affected MediaTek chipsets (MT6897, MT6989, MT8370, MT8390, MT8395) on Android 15.0.
- Restrict installation of applications that request System-level privileges or use vendor-specific MediaTek interfaces.
Patch Information
MediaTek published the fix in the February 2026 Product Security Bulletin. The corresponding patch identifier is ALPS10362552 and the internal issue ID is MSV-5760. Refer to the MediaTek Security Bulletin February 2026 and apply the corresponding Android security patch level shipped by the device OEM.
Workarounds
- No vendor-supplied workaround exists; patching is the supported remediation.
- Reduce attack surface by removing or disabling third-party System-privileged applications that are not required for business operations.
- Enforce mobile device management policies that block sideloading and require current Android security patch levels before granting access to corporate resources.
# Verify the Android security patch level on a connected device
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
adb shell getprop ro.product.board
adb shell getprop ro.hardware
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
