CVE-2026-28642

Local privilege escalation via background activity launch

Published Sep 8, 2026 · Updated Sep 10, 2026

Logic error in Android 14, 15, 16, and 16-qpr2 Framework allows local users to escalate privileges via a background activity launch. The executeRequest method in ActivityStarter.java incorrectly permits the background activity launch during activity-start processing. The attack requires local access but no additional execution privileges or user interaction, and Google has not disclosed the exact faulty branch.

CVSS severityUnavailable
Unscored
EPSS probability0.08%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Logic error in Android 14, 15, 16, and 16-qpr2 Framework allows local users to escalate privileges via a background activity launch. The executeRequest method in ActivityStarter.java incorrectly permits the background activity launch during activity-start processing. The attack requires local access but no additional execution privileges or user interaction, and Google has not disclosed the exact faulty branch.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-28642
Published
Sep 8, 2026
Updated
Sep 10, 2026
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 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

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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=14
  2. Affected versionversion=15
  3. Affected versionversion=16
  4. Affected versionversion=16-qpr2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=14; version=15; version=16; version=16-qpr2

Published CVSS scores

No CVSS assessment is available in this record.

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1404Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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

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Your stack

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