CVE-2026-21097

Arbitrary activity launch via improper caller authentication

Published Sep 9, 2026 · Updated Sep 10, 2026

Improper authorization in Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR Sep-2026 Release 1 allows local users to launch arbitrary activities. ActivityTaskManagerService fails to authenticate a privileged caller before accepting an activity-launch request; Samsung has not disclosed the exact check or code path. Exploitation requires privileged local access on a device running Android 14, 15, 16, or 17, and the bounded consequence is starting an attacker-chosen activity.

CVSS severity4.6
Medium
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Improper authorization in Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR Sep-2026 Release 1 allows local users to launch arbitrary activities. ActivityTaskManagerService fails to authenticate a privileged caller before accepting an activity-launch request; Samsung has not disclosed the exact check or code path. Exploitation requires privileged local access on a device running Android 14, 15, 16, or 17, and the bounded consequence is starting an attacker-chosen activity.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-21097
Published
Sep 9, 2026
Updated
Sep 10, 2026
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Samsung Mobile Devices
Classifications
CWE-285
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 9, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 10, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected versions are unavailable in this record. Check the vendor advisory for version and patch details.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. · Samsung Mobile DevicesAffected versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

4.6Samsung MobileCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-285Improper Authorization

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo