CVE-2026-20969: Improper input validation in SecSettings prior to SMR Jan-2026 Release 1 allows local attacker to access file with system privilege.
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 9/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.27% (FIRST EPSS).
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- According to the record, no fixed version is available yet.
Low priority for now. Update when a fix is released; follow the vendor's advisory.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
Improper input validation in SecSettings prior to SMR Jan-2026 Release 1 allows local attacker to access file with system privilege. User interaction is required for triggering this vulnerability.
- Published
- Jan 9, 2026
- Updated
- Jun 17, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.2% · 20th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-20
Report tools
Action score
9
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 9 / 40 · 2.3 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.2%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- —
- CNA · SamsungMobile
- 2.3
- NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- No fixed version yet
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| samsung | android | cpe:2.3:o:samsung:android |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- samsung android13.0
- samsung android14.0
- samsung android15.0
- samsung android16.0
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (SamsungMobile). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
Samsung Mobile Samsung Mobile Devices
- SMR Jan-2026 Release in Selected Android 13, 14, 15, 16 devicesnot affected
Same product
samsung: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2025-21042Out-of-bounds write in libimagecodec.quram.so prior to SMR Apr-2025 Release 1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code.KEV80Now
- CVE-2025-21043Out-of-bounds write in libimagecodec.quram.so prior to SMR Sep-2025 Release 1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code.KEV70This week
- CVE-2021-25487Lack of boundary checking of a buffer in set_skb_priv() of modem interface driver prior to SMR Oct-2021 Release 1 allows OOB read and it resKEV61This week
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2025-58480Dec 1, 2025 · Heap-based buffer overflow in libimagecodec.quram.so prior to SMR Dec-2025 Release 1 allows remote attackers to access out-of-bounds memory.30Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2026-20968Jan 9, 2026 · Use after free in DualDAR prior to SMR Jan-2026 Release 1 allows local privileged attackers to execute arbitrary code.26Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-20970Jan 9, 2026 · Improper access control in SLocation prior to SMR Jan-2026 Release 1 allows local attackers to execute the privileged APIs.27Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
- CVE-2026-21101243 days apartImproper input validation in DualDAR driver prior to SMR Sep-2026 Release 1 allows local privileged attackers to potentially execute arbitra33Monitor
- CVE-2026-2101094 days apartImproper input validation in Retail Mode prior to SMR Apr-2026 Release 1 allows local attackers to trigger privileged functions.31Monitor
- CVE-2023-21480128 days apartImproper input validation vulnerability in CertByte prior to SMR Apr-2023 Release 1 allows local attackers to launch privileged activities.31Monitor
- CVE-2026-2098026 days apartImproper input validation in PACM prior to SMR Feb-2026 Release 1 allows physical attacker to execute arbitrary commands.28Monitor
- CVE-2024-49401430 days apartImproper input validation in Settings Suggestions prior to SMR Nov-2024 Release 1 allows local attackers to launch privileged activities.28Monitor
- CVE-2023-21472128 days apartImproper input validation with Exynos Fastboot USB Interface prior to SMR Apr-2023 Release 1 allows a physical attacker to execute arbitrary27Monitor
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- Integrity
- Availability
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- X
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-20 · Improper Input ValidationCVSS vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X
nvd-secondary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Buffer Overflow via Environment VariablesCAPEC-10likelihood: High · High
- Server Side Include (SSI) InjectionCAPEC-101likelihood: High · High
- Cross Zone ScriptingCAPEC-104likelihood: Medium · High
- Command Line Execution through SQL InjectionCAPEC-108likelihood: Low · Very High
- Object Relational Mapping InjectionCAPEC-109likelihood: Low · High
- SQL Injection through SOAP Parameter TamperingCAPEC-110likelihood: High · Very High
- Double EncodingCAPEC-120likelihood: Low · Medium
- Subverting Environment Variable ValuesCAPEC-13likelihood: High · Very High
ATT&CK techniques
- Obfuscated Files or InformationT1027
- Masquerading: Invalid Code SignatureT1036.001
- Steal Web Session CookieT1539
- Subvert Trust Controls: Code SigningT1553.002
- Impair Defenses:Impair Command History LoggingT1562.003
- Hijack Execution Flow:Dynamic Linker HijackingT1574.006
- Hijack Execution Flow:Path Interception by PATH Environment VariableT1574.007
Change log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.