CVE-2026-49189: Acer Connect M6E 5G Broadcast Receiver Permission Bypass (CVSS 7.8)

Technical summary

The vulnerability stems from improper permission validation on an exported Broadcast Receiver in Acer Connect M6E 5G firmware. Broadcast Receivers are Android components that listen for system-wide or application-specific events; when exported without proper permission guards, they become callable by any installed application. CVE-2026-49189 allows an unprivileged process to invoke protected administrative functions through this unguarded receiver, resulting in capability escalation. The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8 reflects high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with local attack vector and low attack complexity.

Business impact

Organizations deploying Acer Connect M6E 5G devices in managed environments face significant risk. An attacker who achieves initial installation of a seemingly innocuous app gains a pathway to administrative control—enabling data exfiltration, device misconfiguration, service disruption, or lateral movement in corporate networks. In enterprise wireless/connectivity scenarios, this could compromise both the device itself and connected infrastructure. The lack of exploitation barriers (no special conditions required) increases the realistic threat surface.

Affected systems

This vulnerability affects Acer Connect M6E 5G firmware versions. The vulnerability is specific to the Acer Connect M6E 5G product line; verify the exact firmware versions in scope by consulting Acer's security advisory, as version-specific patch guidance has not been published in this data.

Exploitability

Exploitation requires local presence (an attacker must install an app on the target device) but no user interaction or special conditions beyond that. Attack complexity is low; any developer can craft an app that calls the vulnerable Broadcast Receiver. The barrier to exploitation is primarily distribution—getting the malicious app onto a target device—rather than technical difficulty. This is a practical risk in bring-your-own-device scenarios or supply-chain distribution contexts.

Remediation

Acer must issue a firmware update that either removes the public export flag from the vulnerable Broadcast Receiver or adds explicit permission checks to validate caller identity before processing administrative commands. End users should apply vendor patches immediately upon availability. Until patched, restrict untrusted app installation on Acer Connect M6E 5G devices and consider network-level controls to limit exposure.

Patch guidance

Monitor Acer's security advisories for firmware updates addressing CVE-2026-49189. When available, apply the patched firmware to all Acer Connect M6E 5G devices in your environment. Verify compatibility and test in a non-production environment before broad deployment. Acer's official advisory will specify exact firmware versions and download locations; do not rely on third-party sources for firmware distribution.

Detection guidance

Monitor for unexpected IPC (inter-process communication) calls to the vulnerable Broadcast Receiver from low-privilege applications. On managed devices, audit app installation logs and flag any apps with suspicious permissions requested post-installation. Network detection may observe unusual configuration changes or data flows originating from the device following exploitation. Endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools should flag process spawning from untrusted apps on these devices.

Why prioritize this

This is a HIGH-severity flaw affecting a connectivity appliance in an enterprise product line. The combination of high CVSS (7.8), ease of local exploitation, and the device's role in network infrastructure justifies rapid prioritization. Organizations using these devices in production environments should prioritize vulnerability and patch assessment within their quarterly risk cycles.

Risk score, explained

The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8 reflects: Local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), low privileges required (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). This scoring appropriately captures the practical risk of an installed app gaining administrative capabilities. The severity is not critical (would require remote vector or broader impact) but definitely HIGH.

Frequently asked questions