CVE-2026-0150: Android EdgeTPU Firmware Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Technical summary

CVE-2026-0150 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the EdgeTPU firmware's ExecuteGraph command handler, rooted in an integer overflow condition (CWE-190). The overflow allows an attacker to write beyond allocated buffer boundaries (CWE-787), potentially corrupting adjacent memory structures. The vulnerability is triggered through local command execution with standard user privileges, making it a post-authentication but low-friction attack surface. The lack of address space layout randomization or similar mitigations on the affected firmware component increases exploitability.

Business impact

This vulnerability creates a direct privilege escalation path on Android devices that expose EdgeTPU functionality. Any application installed by a user—or malicious app downloaded from third-party stores—can exploit this to gain root access, enabling complete device compromise, data exfiltration, persistent malware installation, and circumvention of Android's security model. For enterprises managing fleets of Android devices with EdgeTPU hardware, this represents a critical supply-chain and endpoint security risk.

Affected systems

Google Android devices equipped with EdgeTPU (Tensor Processing Unit) hardware are affected. This includes Pixel phones with Tensor chips and other Android handsets or IoT devices that integrate EdgeTPU for on-device machine learning acceleration. The vulnerability requires the affected firmware version to be present; verify your device's EdgeTPU firmware version against Google's advisories to confirm exposure.

Exploitability

The vulnerability is relatively straightforward to exploit given local access. An attacker requires only standard user-level privileges and can trigger the ExecuteGraph handler directly without requiring user interaction, social engineering, or additional vulnerabilities. The integer overflow is deterministic and not dependent on timing or randomness, making reliable exploitation feasible. However, exploitation is limited to local attackers who can execute code on the device.

Remediation

Patch your Android device and EdgeTPU firmware to the patched version released by Google. Check Settings > About phone > System update or visit your device manufacturer's support page for available firmware updates. Enterprise deployments should inventory devices with EdgeTPU hardware and prioritize updates for high-security environments. There is no known workaround; patching is the only mitigation.

Patch guidance

Google released security patches in June 2026 addressing this vulnerability. Apply the latest Android security patch immediately via over-the-air (OTA) updates or manual installation through your device manufacturer. For enterprise devices, use mobile device management (MDM) tools to enforce and monitor patch deployment. Verify patch application by checking the Android security patch level in device settings; it should be June 2026 or later. If patches are not yet available for your specific device model, consult your manufacturer's security advisory for timing and escalate if your device has reached end-of-life support.

Detection guidance

Monitor for unexpected root permission escalations originating from the EdgeTPU subsystem or applications with unusual access to the Tensor/ML acceleration hardware. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools should flag processes attempting to interact with EdgeTPU command interfaces (ExecuteGraph) outside normal application behavior. For network-level detection, correlate large or unusual outbound traffic spikes from devices immediately following privilege escalation events, which may indicate data exfiltration post-compromise. Forensic examination of affected devices should look for modified kernel modules or system binaries modified after device provisioning.

Why prioritize this

This vulnerability scores HIGH (7.8 CVSS) due to the combination of low attack complexity, low privilege requirement, and severe impact (complete confidentiality, integrity, and availability compromise). The absence of user interaction required and the deterministic nature of the exploit make it a material risk for any organization deploying Android devices with EdgeTPU hardware. The lack of public exploit code availability (KEV status: not listed) does not reduce the risk, as the technical details are straightforward enough to weaponize quickly.

Risk score, explained

CVSS 7.8 reflects a high-severity local privilege escalation. The vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H indicates: Attack Vector (Local) requires device access; Attack Complexity (Low) means no special conditions needed; Privileges Required (Low) allows standard users to trigger it; User Interaction (None) means no user clicking or consent required; Scope (Unchanged) limits impact to the affected device; and full Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability impact. This is severe because any local user or installed app can become root.

Frequently asked questions