Local privilege escalation via unchecked WLAN write
Published Mar 2, 2026 · Updated Mar 2, 2026
An out-of-bounds write in MediaTek WLAN STA Driver through NB SDK 3.8 allows local users to escalate privileges through the WLAN driver. The WLAN STA driver omits a bounds check before a memory write, but MediaTek does not identify the affected function or attacker-controlled field. User execution privileges are required, but user interaction is not; exploitation grants elevated execution on the affected device.
Summary
What happened
An out-of-bounds write in MediaTek WLAN STA Driver through NB SDK 3.8 allows local users to escalate privileges through the WLAN driver. The WLAN STA driver omits a bounds check before a memory write, but MediaTek does not identify the affected function or attacker-controlled field. User execution privileges are required, but user interaction is not; exploitation grants elevated execution on the affected device.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-20423
- Published
- Mar 2, 2026
- Updated
- Mar 2, 2026
- Vendor
- MediaTek
- Product
- MediaTek WLAN STA Driver
- Classifications
- CWE-749, CWE-787, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 2, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Mar 2, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=NB SDK release 3.8 and before
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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