Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessGain System execution privileges on device
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DeliveryInvoke gsa_sw_pk_hash_compare in image-auth-srv
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ExploitTrigger logic error in hash comparison
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ExecutionBypass image authentication check
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ImpactEscalate to higher-trust context
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A06:2025 - Insecure Design
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Protection mechanism completeness
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires local code execution already holding System execution privileges (PR:H) on an affected Android/Pixel device - no user interaction is needed (UI:N). The specific trigger is the logic error in the gsa_sw_pk_hash_compare public-key hash-comparison routine within image-auth-srv.c (image authentication service). Limiting factors: this is not remotely reachable (AV:L), and the pre-required System-level privilege sharply narrows the realistic attacker set to already-compromised or malicious high-privilege components, so it functions as an escalation-from-System-to-more-trusted-context rather than an initial foothold. |
| Impact | All exploitability signals point to a low-urgency, defense-in-depth issue rather than an active priority. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, vendor base 6.7 Medium) requires local access AND System-level execution privileges (PR:H) - meaning the attacker must already be highly privileged before triggering the logic error in gsa_sw_pk_hash_compare. EPSS is 0.12% (2nd percentile), consistent with no realistic mass-exploitation interest. There is no CISA KEV listing and no public exploit identified at time of analysis, so exploitation status is 'no public exploit identified at time of analysis.' The C:H/I:H/A:H impact triad is the generous Android-bulletin boilerplate: since the precondition is already System privileges, the marginal escalation (likely into a more trusted context such as image/boot authentication) is real but its incremental confidentiality/availability impact is arguably overstated. No conflicting signals across sources - CVSS local vector aligns with the 'local escalation of privilege' description. Net: a legitimate hardening fix worth patching on the normal Pixel bulletin cadence, not an emergency. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A malicious or compromised process already running with System execution privileges on a Pixel/Android device invokes the flawed public-key hash comparison in image-auth-srv.c (gsa_sw_pk_hash_compare) to defeat an image-authentication check via the logic error, escalating into a more trusted context. No user interaction is required. No public proof-of-concept exists, and the high starting-privilege prerequisite (PR:H) makes opportunistic exploitation unlikely. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 16, 2026
Local privilege escalation in Google Android's image authentication service (image-auth-srv.c) allows a component that already holds System execution privileges to abuse a logic error in the gsa_sw_pk_hash_compare public-key hash-comparison routine, achieving escalation into a more trusted execution context. The flaw is reachable only locally (AV:L) and requires high privileges (PR:H) with no user interaction (UI:N), so it is not an initial-access or remote vector. Exploitability signals are weak: EPSS is 0.12% (2nd percentile), there is no CISA KEV listing, and no public exploit identified at time of analysis; the practical risk is a defense-in-depth weakness affecting Pixel/Android builds that ship the affected image authentication service.
RemediationAI
Apply the vendor fix distributed through Google's Pixel security bulletin for 2026-09-01 (https://source.android.com/docs/security/bulletin/pixel/2026/2026-09-01); this is the authoritative remediation channel and the relevant patch level should be confirmed against the device build fingerprint. Because no exact fix build string was supplied in the available data, treat the bulletin's referenced patch level as the target rather than any self-derived version number. Until the update is applied, compensating controls must focus on the fact that exploitation already requires System execution privileges: reduce the number of System-uid components and shrink the privileged attack surface that could reach the image authentication service, and tighten SELinux policy so that non-essential System-domain processes cannot invoke image-auth-srv - the trade-off is potential breakage of OEM or boot-verification flows that legitimately depend on that service. Monitoring for unexpected acceptance of unsigned or unverified images/public keys in audit logs provides detection value but is a detective, not preventive, measure, and since there is no remote vector (AV:L) and no public exploit identified, perimeter or network filtering is not a meaningful mitigation here.
Affected VersionsENISA
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Technical ContextAI · show details
The vulnerable code lives in image-auth-srv.c, part of Android's image authentication service that validates the integrity and authenticity of boot/image artifacts by comparing software public-key hashes (gsa_sw_pk_hash_compare). CWE-693 (Protection Mechanism Failure) is the root-cause class: rather than a memory-safety bug, this is a logic error in the comparison/verification path, meaning the routine can reach an incorrect accept/deny decision when evaluating public-key hashes. Because the check is a security gate, a faulty comparison undermines the guarantee that only authorized signed images/keys are trusted, letting an attacker who already controls System-level code (PR:H, AV:L) bypass verification and operate in a more privileged trust domain than intended. The affected product identifier is cpe:2.3:a:google:android:*:*:*:*:*:*:* with EUVD tracking the Android/Android kernel components; the associated EUVD record is EUVD-2026-79152 and the flaw was reported by Google Devices.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Local trigger with no UI (AV:L/UI:N); attacker must already hold System privileges so PR:H; image-auth bypass plausibly yields full C/I/A within the same scope (S:U).
Primary rating from Vendor (Google_Devices).
CVSS VectorVendor: Google_Devices
Lifecycle Timeline
3DescriptionCVE.org
In gsa_sw_pk_hash_compare of image-auth-srv.c, there is a possible escalation of privilege due to a logic error in the code. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with System execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.
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EUVD-2026-79152
GHSA-v5qf-m4wj-hmcg
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
VulDB
Exploit-DB