CVE-2026-55273

Local privilege escalation via unvalidated AAPT2 comments

Published Sep 8, 2026 · Updated Sep 8, 2026

Improper input validation in Google Android 16, 16-qpr2, and 17 allows local users to escalate privileges through crafted resource comments. AppendCommentLine in tools/aapt2/java/AnnotationProcessor.cpp copies comment text into generated Java documentation without rejecting input that can alter the generated source. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access to a build or supply-chain path; no user interaction is required, and successful exploitation compromises the generated artifact.

CVSS severity7.8
High
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

Improper input validation in Google Android 16, 16-qpr2, and 17 allows local users to escalate privileges through crafted resource comments. AppendCommentLine in tools/aapt2/java/AnnotationProcessor.cpp copies comment text into generated Java documentation without rejecting input that can alter the generated source. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access to a build or supply-chain path; no user interaction is required, and successful exploitation compromises the generated artifact.

The record

CVE
CVE-2026-55273
Published
Sep 8, 2026
Updated
Sep 8, 2026
Vendor
Google Cloud
Product
Android
Classifications
CWE-20, T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 8, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 8, 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=16
  2. Affected versionversion=16-qpr2
  3. Affected versionversion=17

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Google Cloud · Androidversion=16; version=16-qpr2; version=17

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA ADP VulnrichmentCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1404Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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