CVE-2026-20517 Use after free in MediaTek chipset
A use-after-free flaw in MediaTek chipset firmware allows local privilege escalation for attackers with System privileges.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- An administrator
- Attackable
- Local or same network only
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-20517?
CVE-2026-20517 is a medium-severity use after free vulnerability in MediaTek, Inc. MediaTek chipset, published on 7 Sep 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Official description
In geniezone, there is a possible escalation of privilege due to use after free. This could lead to local escalation of privilege if a malicious actor has already obtained the System privilege. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: ALPS10900510; Issue ID: MSV-6781.
Weakness: CWE-416
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-20517?
How do I fix CVE-2026-20517?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-20517 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade to the fixed version. These bugs are found with fuzzing and sanitisers and avoided by memory-safe languages. More about Use after free.
Is CVE-2026-20517 being exploited?
There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-20517 in the wild and no public exploit code.
Sources
Also known as GHSA-c7c9-9r78-v3mh.