CVE-2026-21050 Overview
CVE-2026-21050 is an improper access control vulnerability in Samsung's SmartThingsKit component. The flaw exists in versions prior to the Samsung Mobile Release (SMR) Jul-2026 Release 1 firmware update. Local attackers can leverage the weakness to access sensitive information stored or handled by the component. Samsung addressed the issue in its July 2026 security maintenance release.
Critical Impact
Local applications on affected Samsung devices can read sensitive data managed by SmartThingsKit without proper authorization checks.
Affected Products
- Samsung SmartThingsKit component on Samsung mobile devices
- Firmware versions prior to SMR Jul-2026 Release 1
- Samsung Galaxy devices receiving Samsung Mobile Security updates
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-07-10 - CVE-2026-21050 published to NVD
- 2026-07-10 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-21050
Vulnerability Analysis
CVE-2026-21050 stems from improper access control in SmartThingsKit, a Samsung component that supports interaction with SmartThings IoT services on mobile devices. The component exposes interfaces or data that fail to enforce the access checks required to restrict callers to authorized applications.
A local attacker, defined here as code running on the device such as an installed application, can query the affected interfaces and retrieve information that should remain isolated from third-party callers. Samsung classifies the impact as sensitive information disclosure, with no direct integrity or availability impact according to the published CVSS 4.0 vector.
The vulnerability requires no user interaction and no privileges beyond those granted to a normal installed application. Because the attack vector is local, remote network-based exploitation is not applicable. The exposure is limited to devices running vulnerable Samsung firmware.
Root Cause
The root cause is a missing or incorrectly implemented authorization check within SmartThingsKit [Improper Access Control]. Samsung has not published detailed component-level technical information in the public advisory, but the classification aligns with cases where inter-process communication (IPC) endpoints or content providers accept queries without verifying the caller's identity, signature, or permissions.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires local code execution on the target Samsung device, typically through a malicious or compromised installed application. The attacker application invokes the exposed SmartThingsKit interface and reads the sensitive data returned. No physical access, elevated privileges, or user prompts are required. The vulnerability manifests only in the disclosure of confidential data, not in code execution or device compromise.
See the Samsung Security Update July 2026 bulletin for the official vendor description.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-21050
Indicators of Compromise
- Installed applications that request or interact with SmartThingsKit interfaces without a legitimate SmartThings integration use case
- Unexpected reads of SmartThings-related data by applications outside the Samsung SmartThings ecosystem
- Anomalous IPC calls from third-party packages targeting Samsung system components
Detection Strategies
- Inventory Samsung mobile devices in the fleet and identify those on firmware builds preceding SMR Jul-2026 Release 1
- Review mobile application permissions and behavior for apps that query Samsung system components
- Correlate mobile threat defense (MTD) telemetry with installations of untrusted applications on Samsung devices
Monitoring Recommendations
- Track Samsung firmware patch level (ro.build.version.security_patch) across managed devices via MDM
- Alert when devices remain below the July 2026 Samsung security patch level after the maintenance window
- Monitor enterprise app catalogs for sideloaded or unvetted applications on Samsung Galaxy devices
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-21050
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the Samsung SMR Jul-2026 Release 1 firmware update on all supported Samsung mobile devices
- Use mobile device management (MDM) to enforce the July 2026 or later security patch level as a compliance requirement
- Restrict installation of unvetted third-party applications on managed Samsung devices
Patch Information
Samsung released the fix as part of the July 2026 Samsung Mobile Security Maintenance Release. Devices must be updated to SMR Jul-2026 Release 1 or later. Consult the Samsung Security Update July 2026 bulletin for the list of supported models and rollout details.
Workarounds
- No official vendor workaround is published; patching is the supported remediation
- Limit exposure by allowlisting applications and blocking sideloading through MDM policy until patches are deployed
- Verify SmartThings integrations rely only on trusted first-party or enterprise-approved applications
# Verify the Samsung security patch level on a managed device via ADB
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Expected value on remediated devices: 2026-07-01 or later
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
