Description

In isSystem of WifiPermissionsUtil.java, there is a possible sandbox escape due to a missing permission check. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "8.8",
  "pubDate": "2026-10-05T19:17:20.533Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-10-05T19:17:20.533Z",
  "executiveSummary": "This vulnerability is a sandbox escape flaw located in the isSystem function of WifiPermissionsUtil.java. The issue stems from a missing permission check, which allows an attacker to bypass security boundaries and achieve a local escalation of privilege.\nThe vulnerability does not require any additional execution privileges or user interaction for successful exploitation. Because it enables a local sandbox escape, it poses a significant risk to the integrity and confidentiality of the affected device, potentially allowing an attacker to operate outside the restricted environment of their process.\nThis vulnerability affects the Android platform, specifically within the wifi management utility components. The security implication is severe as it effectively lowers the barrier for a malicious application or process to gain elevated privileges that it should otherwise be denied by the OS security model.",
  "technicalDetails": "The root cause of this vulnerability is an improper implementation of an authorization check within the isSystem function of the WifiPermissionsUtil.java source file. The function is intended to verify whether a calling process holds the system-level identity required to perform sensitive Wi-Fi configuration operations. Due to the missing validation logic, the function fails to correctly authenticate the caller, allowing the method to return a state that falsely indicates the presence of system-level privileges.\nThe attack flow begins when a malicious application, running within the restricted sandbox, invokes the vulnerable API exposed by WifiPermissionsUtil. Because the internal logic of isSystem relies on an incomplete or non-existent permission check, it erroneously grants the calling process the permissions associated with a system-level component. This bypasses the standard Android permission model that enforces isolation between applications and the system core.\nExploitation does not require elevated privileges at the time of execution; any application with minimal permissions can trigger the function. Since the flaw resides in a core utility function, it can be leveraged to execute actions that are normally restricted to signed system applications, such as modifying system-wide Wi-Fi settings or accessing protected network interfaces. By successfully tricking the isSystem function into returning a positive result, an attacker can move from a low-privilege sandbox state into a context where higher-level system APIs are accessible.\nThe impact of this exploit is a local privilege escalation. Once the sandbox escape is achieved, the attacker can leverage the assumed system identity to perform unauthorized operations, potentially impacting user privacy, network security, or system stability. The absence of a requirement for user interaction makes this an attractive target for malicious software aiming to elevate privileges stealthily on an infected device. The vulnerability is fundamentally a failure of access control enforcement where the security boundary between the application layer and the privileged system layer is rendered ineffective by the flawed logic in WifiPermissionsUtil.java."
}