CVE-2026-21108 Overview
CVE-2026-21108 is an improper component export vulnerability in Samsung's Bixby Touch application on Android. Versions prior to 4.3.01.17 expose Android application components without adequate access controls. Local attackers with the ability to run code on the device can interact with these exposed components to access sensitive information belonging to Bixby Touch. The weakness is classified under [CWE-926: Improper Export of Android Application Components].
Critical Impact
A local attacker on an affected Android device can access sensitive information held by Bixby Touch without any user interaction or elevated privileges.
Affected Products
- Samsung Bixby Touch for Android prior to version 4.3.01.17
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-09-09 - CVE-2026-21108 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-09-09 - Samsung Mobile Security published the corresponding advisory in its September 2026 bulletin
- 2026-09-09 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2026-21108
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability arises from improperly exported Android application components in Bixby Touch. On Android, components such as activities, services, content providers, and broadcast receivers can be marked as exported in the application manifest. When exported without permission checks or signature-level protection, any application installed on the device can invoke them.
In Bixby Touch versions prior to 4.3.01.17, one or more components are reachable from other locally installed applications. A malicious app can send crafted intents to these components and retrieve sensitive data managed by Bixby Touch. The issue does not require user interaction and can be triggered by any process running with normal application privileges.
Root Cause
The root cause is the misconfiguration of component export attributes and the absence of adequate permission enforcement. Components that should have been marked android:exported="false" or gated behind a signature-level permission were instead reachable to arbitrary local callers. This aligns with [CWE-926], which addresses Android components exposed unnecessarily to other applications on the device.
Attack Vector
Exploitation is local. The attacker must have code execution on the same Android device as the vulnerable Bixby Touch installation, typically through a separate malicious application. That application constructs intents targeting the exposed Bixby Touch components and reads the returned data. No credentials, user interaction, or elevated privileges are required for the malicious app.
No verified proof-of-concept exploit code is available. Refer to the Samsung Mobile Security Report for vendor-supplied technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2026-21108
Indicators of Compromise
- Presence of Bixby Touch versions earlier than 4.3.01.17 on managed Android devices.
- Installed third-party applications that repeatedly issue intents targeting Bixby Touch package components.
- Anomalous inter-process communication (IPC) traffic directed at Bixby Touch activities, services, or content providers from unrelated applications.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory managed Android devices and flag any Bixby Touch installation with a version below 4.3.01.17.
- Use mobile threat defense (MTD) or enterprise mobility management (EMM) tooling to identify sideloaded or low-reputation applications that request unusual IPC access.
- Review application logs for repeated implicit or explicit intents targeting Bixby Touch package components from non-Samsung apps.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Monitor Android device attestation and application inventory feeds for out-of-date Bixby Touch versions.
- Track new application installations on corporate-managed Samsung devices and correlate with known-good software baselines.
- Alert on installation of applications that declare intent filters or bindings referencing Bixby Touch components.
How to Mitigate CVE-2026-21108
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Bixby Touch to version 4.3.01.17 or later through the Galaxy Store on all affected Samsung Android devices.
- Audit installed applications and remove any untrusted third-party apps that could act as a local attacker.
- Enforce a mobile application allowlist through EMM/MDM policy for corporate-managed devices.
Patch Information
Samsung addressed the issue in Bixby Touch version 4.3.01.17. The fix is distributed through the Galaxy Store and is documented in the Samsung Mobile Security Report for September 2026.
Workarounds
- Disable or uninstall Bixby Touch on devices where it is not required until the update to 4.3.01.17 can be applied.
- Restrict installation of non-vetted applications through EMM policies to reduce the likelihood of a local attacker gaining code execution.
- Enable Google Play Protect and Samsung's built-in application scanning to identify malicious apps that could target exposed components.
# Verify installed Bixby Touch version via ADB
adb shell dumpsys package com.samsung.android.app.routines | grep versionName
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
