CVE-2026-21054 Overview
CVE-2026-21054 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Samsung's InputSharing application on Android. The flaw stems from improper export of Android application components, allowing local attackers to access sharing data without proper authorization. Any locally installed application can interact with the exported component and retrieve data intended to remain protected within the app's private context.
The issue affects InputSharing versions prior to 2.7.01.4. Samsung addressed the vulnerability in its July 2026 mobile security maintenance release. Because exploitation requires only local access with no user interaction, malicious apps sideloaded or installed from third-party sources can silently harvest data from affected devices.
Critical Impact
Local attackers with a malicious application installed on the device can access sensitive input-sharing data due to insufficient access controls on exported Android components.
Affected Products
- Samsung InputSharing application versions prior to 2.7.01.4
- Samsung Android devices with the vulnerable InputSharing component preinstalled
- Samsung mobile ecosystem components using the affected sharing interface
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-07-10 - CVE CVE-2026-21054 published to NVD
- 2026-07-10 - Samsung Mobile Security Advisory published for July 2026
- 2026-07-10 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-21054
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is an Improper Export of Android Application Components issue, aligning with CWE-926. In Android, components such as activities, services, content providers, and broadcast receivers can be declared as exported in the app manifest. When exported without proper permission enforcement, any other application on the device can invoke them.
In the case of InputSharing, one or more components handling sharing data were exposed without adequate access controls. This permits arbitrary local applications to communicate with the component through Intent-based Inter-Process Communication (IPC) and retrieve data intended to remain private. The attack requires local access but no elevated privileges and no user interaction.
Root Cause
The root cause is a misconfiguration in the AndroidManifest.xml of the InputSharing application. Components processing sharing data are exported with android:exported="true" and lack an accompanying signature-level permission or runtime authorization check. Samsung remediated the issue in InputSharing version 2.7.01.4 by restricting component visibility and applying proper permission enforcement.
Attack Vector
An attacker installs a low-privilege application on the target Samsung device. The malicious app issues Intents targeting the exposed InputSharing components. Because the exported component does not validate the caller, it processes the request and returns sharing data. The attacker can then exfiltrate the harvested data to a remote endpoint. Refer to the Samsung Mobile Security Advisory for technical specifics.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-21054
Indicators of Compromise
- Installation of unknown or sideloaded applications shortly before anomalous access to Samsung sharing components
- Unexpected Intent traffic targeting InputSharing package components in device logs
- Applications requesting no sensitive permissions yet accessing shared input data
Detection Strategies
- Inventory installed applications on managed Samsung devices and confirm InputSharing is at version 2.7.01.4 or later
- Use mobile threat defense telemetry to flag applications interacting with Samsung system sharing components via IPC
- Review Android package manager logs for third-party apps binding to InputSharing services or providers
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enroll Samsung devices in a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution to enforce patch compliance for the July 2026 update
- Continuously monitor for sideloaded APKs and applications installed from unknown sources
- Alert on outbound network traffic patterns consistent with data exfiltration from mobile endpoints
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-21054
Immediate Actions Required
- Update the Samsung InputSharing component to version 2.7.01.4 or later through the July 2026 Samsung Mobile Security Maintenance Release
- Apply the July 2026 Samsung security patch level to all managed Samsung Android devices
- Audit installed applications and remove untrusted or sideloaded apps that do not have a legitimate business purpose
Patch Information
Samsung addressed CVE-2026-21054 in InputSharing version 2.7.01.4, included in the July 2026 Samsung Mobile Security Maintenance Release. Administrators should reference the Samsung Mobile Security Advisory for full patch details and ensure devices receive the update through Samsung's over-the-air distribution channel.
Workarounds
- Disable installation of applications from unknown sources on all Samsung devices under management
- Restrict device usage to vetted applications from the Google Play Store or Samsung Galaxy Store until the patch is applied
- Isolate unpatched devices from sensitive corporate resources through conditional access policies
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
