Physical privilege escalation via secure-boot heap overflow
Published Aug 3, 2026 · Updated Aug 3, 2026
Heap overflow in MediaTek Chipset secure boot allows physically proximate attackers to escalate privileges on MT2737, MT6880, MT6890, and MT6990. MediaTek identifies the locus as sec boot but has not published which operation exceeds the heap buffer or which input reaches it. Physical access is required, but no prior execution privileges or user interaction are needed; successful exploitation compromises protected data and system integrity.
Summary
What happened
Heap overflow in MediaTek Chipset secure boot allows physically proximate attackers to escalate privileges on MT2737, MT6880, MT6890, and MT6990. MediaTek identifies the locus as sec boot but has not published which operation exceeds the heap buffer or which input reaches it. Physical access is required, but no prior execution privileges or user interaction are needed; successful exploitation compromises protected data and system integrity.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-20466
- Published
- Aug 3, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 3, 2026
- Vendor
- MediaTek
- Product
- MediaTek Chipset
- Classifications
- CWE-787
- Attack vector
- physical
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 3, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 3, 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=MT2737
- Affected versionversion=MT6880
- Affected versionversion=MT6890
- Affected versionversion=MT6990
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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