CVE-2026-21022 Overview
CVE-2026-21022 is an information disclosure vulnerability in the Routines component of Samsung Android devices. The flaw stems from improper handling of insufficient permissions, allowing local attackers to access sensitive information without proper authorization. Samsung addressed the issue in the SMR May-2026 Release 1 security update.
The vulnerability affects Samsung Android 15.0 and 16.0 builds released before May 2026. Exploitation requires local access to the device but does not require user interaction or elevated privileges. Samsung published details in its monthly security maintenance release notice.
Critical Impact
Local attackers can read sensitive data from the Routines component on unpatched Samsung Android 15.0 and 16.0 devices without user interaction or prior privileges.
Affected Products
- Samsung Android 15.0 (releases prior to SMR May-2026 Release 1)
- Samsung Android 16.0 (releases prior to SMR May-2026 Release 1)
- Samsung Routines component shipped with the above firmware builds
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-05-13 - CVE-2026-21022 published to NVD
- 2026-05-13 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-21022
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability resides in Samsung Routines, a feature that automates device behavior based on user-defined conditions. The component fails to properly check caller permissions before returning data to requesting applications. As a result, an unprivileged local process can query Routines and retrieve information it should not be authorized to access.
NVD categorizes the weakness under NVD-CWE-Other because the underlying issue does not map cleanly to a standard CWE entry. In practice, the behavior aligns with Improper Access Control and Information Exposure patterns. The disclosed data is limited to confidentiality impact; integrity and availability of the device are not affected.
Root Cause
The root cause is an absent or incomplete permission check within the Routines component's handling of inter-process requests. Samsung's advisory describes the defect as "improper handling of insufficient permissions," indicating the code path proceeds to return data even when the calling context lacks the required permission grant. The SMR May-2026 Release 1 patch tightens these permission validations.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires an attacker to execute code locally on the device. This is typically achieved through a malicious application installed by the user. Once running, the attacker's process interacts with the Routines component using standard Android inter-process communication channels. No additional privileges or user interaction are required to retrieve the sensitive information.
No public proof-of-concept exploit, ExploitDB entry, or CISA KEV listing exists for this issue at the time of publication. EPSS data indicates a low predicted exploitation probability.
The vulnerability mechanism is described in prose only. See the Samsung Security Update May 2026 advisory for vendor-supplied technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-21022
Indicators of Compromise
- Installation of unverified third-party applications shortly before unexplained data exposure events tied to a Samsung device
- Applications requesting Routines-related intents or content providers without a clear functional reason
- Unexpected background process activity targeting Samsung Routines APIs on devices running pre-May 2026 firmware
Detection Strategies
- Audit installed application inventories on managed Samsung fleets to identify apps that interact with Samsung Routines services
- Use mobile threat defense or MDM telemetry to flag devices still running Samsung Android builds older than SMR May-2026 Release 1
- Review Android logcat output and application manifests during forensic triage for unusual permission patterns related to Routines
Monitoring Recommendations
- Track Samsung firmware patch levels through enterprise mobility management dashboards and alert on devices below the May 2026 SMR baseline
- Monitor enterprise app stores and sideloading events for newly installed applications on Samsung devices
- Correlate mobile device events with downstream identity and data access logs to surface potential data leakage from compromised handsets
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-21022
Immediate Actions Required
- Install the Samsung SMR May-2026 Release 1 security update on all affected Samsung Android 15.0 and 16.0 devices
- Restrict installation of applications from untrusted sources via MDM policy until devices are patched
- Review applications currently installed on Samsung devices and remove any that are unnecessary or untrusted
Patch Information
Samsung released the fix as part of the SMR May-2026 Release 1 security maintenance release. Device owners should apply the update through Settings, Software update, Download and install. Enterprise administrators should refer to the Samsung Security Update May 2026 bulletin and push the update through their mobile device management platform.
Workarounds
- Disable or remove the Routines feature usage on affected devices where business workflows allow
- Limit device usage to trusted, vetted applications until the SMR May-2026 Release 1 update can be applied
- Enforce MDM compliance policies that quarantine devices running firmware older than the May 2026 patch level
# Example MDM compliance check: flag Samsung devices below the May 2026 patch baseline
# Pseudocode for an MDM rule
IF device.manufacturer == "Samsung" AND device.androidSecurityPatchLevel < "2026-05-01"
THEN action = "quarantine" AND notify("Apply Samsung SMR May-2026 Release 1 to remediate CVE-2026-21022")
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
