ZeroHour

CVE-2026-49882

mass

Heap Buffer Overflow in Android NFC MIFARE Classic Reader Enables RCE

CVSS 3.1
8.8 high
EPSS
<1%p6
Published
()
Modified
AI analysis

CVE-2026-49882 is a heap buffer overflow in rw_mfc_handle_read_op (rw_mfc.cc), part of the Android NFC stack's handling of MIFARE Classic (MFC) tags. An attacker within NFC range can trigger the flaw by presenting a maliciously crafted MIFARE Classic tag to a device whose NFC reader processes it, with no user interaction and no privileges required. Successful exploitation can lead to remote code execution on the affected device. Android devices carrying the vulnerable NFC code are affected; the data does not specify exact version ranges, and the fix ships in the September 2026 Android security update per related reporting. There is currently no public proof-of-concept, the flaw is not in CISA KEV, and EPSS assigns it a low 0.2% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, so no exploitation is known.

What to do: Apply the September 2026 Android security update (or the vendor build that includes it) as soon as it is available; check Settings > Security for the patch level rather than relying on a specific version number, which is not enumerated in the source data. As an interim mitigation, disable NFC when not needed and avoid bringing unknown NFC/MIFARE tags near unpatched devices. Monitor the Android Security Bulletin for the confirmed patched build list.

Affected
Google (Android) Android NFC stack, MIFARE Classic tag handling (rw_mfc.cc)
Estimated exposure
massOrder of billions of devices (Android's multi-billion active installed base; NFC-capable handsets are a large share) — Android runs on roughly 3+ billion active devices globally and the vulnerable NFC tag-reading code ships with NFC-capable handsets, so the plausibly exposed population is on the order of at least a billion devices, though only devices with…

Order-of-magnitude estimate by the model from install counts, market share and public scan data it knows; verify before quoting.

Description

In rw_mfc_handle_read_op of rw_mfc.cc, there is a possible memory safety issue due to a heap buffer overflow. This could lead to remote code execution with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.

Weakness
CWE-122
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

In the news

Android Security Update September 2026 – Fix for Critical Flaws that Enable RCE Attacks

Google's September 2026 Android bulletin fixes over 30 critical flaws, including no-interaction system RCEs, a TIPC kernel RCE and a Qualcomm closed-source bug

Google's Android Security Bulletin for September 2026 (patch levels 2026-09-01 and 2026-09-05) fixes numerous critical System remote code execution flaws, including CVE-2026-28604, CVE-2026-28618, CVE-2026-28639, CVE-2026-28662, CVE-2026-49882, CVE-2026-49884, CVE-2026-49919 and CVE-2026-49921, none requiring user interaction or additional privileges. It also addresses critical kernel issues including a TIPC RCE (CVE-2026-52993) and elevation-of-privilege flaws in NFC and protected KVM, plus a critical Qualcomm closed-source component flaw (CVE-2026-25289). Affected versions span Android 14 through 17; the 2026-09-05 patch level extends coverage to Android TV and chipset components, with high-severity fixes for Arm Mali, PowerVR, MediaTek, Unisoc and Qualcomm components.