CVE-2025-26443Public exploit

Local privilege escalation via unrestricted TermsActivity links

Published Sep 4, 2025 · Updated Sep 4, 2025

Protection mechanism failure in Google Android 13 through 15 allows local users to install apps through a crafted TermsActivity link. HtmlToSpannedParser.parseHtml converts every HTML anchor into an intent without restricting URL schemes, so a non-HTTP link can invoke an app installer. A user must interact with the embedded link; successful exploitation bypasses the unknown-sources installation restriction and installs an attacker-chosen app.

CVSS severity7.3
High
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Protection mechanism failure in Google Android 13 through 15 allows local users to install apps through a crafted TermsActivity link. HtmlToSpannedParser.parseHtml converts every HTML anchor into an intent without restricting URL schemes, so a non-HTTP link can invoke an app installer. A user must interact with the embedded link; successful exploitation bypasses the unknown-sources installation restriction and installs an attacker-chosen app.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-26443
Published
Sep 4, 2025
Updated
Sep 4, 2025
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-693, T1626
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 4, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=13
  2. Affected versionversion=14
  3. Affected versionversion=15

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=13; version=14; version=15

Published CVSS scores

7.3CISACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-693Protection Mechanism Failure
T1626Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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