Device crash via reachable modem assertion
Published May 4, 2026 · Updated May 4, 2026
Reachable assertion in the MediaTek chipset modem allows remote attackers to crash affected devices through a rogue base station. The modem error-handling path reaches an assertion instead of safely rejecting an error condition; MediaTek has not disclosed the specific message or function involved. Exploitation requires the device's UE to connect to an attacker-controlled base station, but needs no privileges or user interaction and affects availability only.
Summary
What happened
Reachable assertion in the MediaTek chipset modem allows remote attackers to crash affected devices through a rogue base station. The modem error-handling path reaches an assertion instead of safely rejecting an error condition; MediaTek has not disclosed the specific message or function involved. Exploitation requires the device's UE to connect to an attacker-controlled base station, but needs no privileges or user interaction and affects availability only.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-20450
- Published
- May 4, 2026
- Updated
- May 4, 2026
- Vendor
- MediaTek
- Product
- MediaTek Chipset
- Classifications
- CWE-617, T1499.004
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- May 4, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- May 4, 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=MT2735
- Affected versionversion=MT2737
- Affected versionversion=MT6833
- Affected versionversion=MT6835
- Affected versionversion=MT6853
- Affected versionversion=MT6855
- Affected versionversion=MT6858
- Affected versionversion=MT6873
- Affected versionversion=MT6875
- Affected versionversion=MT6877
- Affected versionversion=MT6878
- Affected versionversion=MT6879
- Affected versionversion=MT6880
- Affected versionversion=MT6883
- Affected versionversion=MT6885
- Affected versionversion=MT6886
- Affected versionversion=MT6889
- Affected versionversion=MT6890
- Affected versionversion=MT6891
- Affected versionversion=MT6893
- Affected versionversion=MT6895
- Affected versionversion=MT6896
- Affected versionversion=MT6897
- Affected versionversion=MT6899
- Affected versionversion=MT6980
- Affected versionversion=MT6983
- Affected versionversion=MT6985
- Affected versionversion=MT6986
- Affected versionversion=MT6989
- Affected versionversion=MT6990
- Affected versionversion=MT6991
- Affected versionversion=MT6993
- Affected versionversion=MT8668
- Affected versionversion=MT8673
- Affected versionversion=MT8675
- Affected versionversion=MT8676
- Affected versionversion=MT8678
- Affected versionversion=MT8755
- Affected versionversion=MT8771
- Affected versionversion=MT8775
- Affected versionversion=MT8791
- Affected versionversion=MT8791T
- Affected versionversion=MT8792
- Affected versionversion=MT8793
- Affected versionversion=MT8795T
- Affected versionversion=MT8797
- Affected versionversion=MT8798
- Affected versionversion=MT8863
- Affected versionversion=MT8873
- Affected versionversion=MT8883
- Affected versionversion=MT8893
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Public exploit references
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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