CVE-2026-20531 Use after free in MediaTek chipset

High 8.4 Published 5 Oct 2026 Updated 6 Oct 2026

A use-after-free vulnerability in MediaTek chipset firmware allows local attackers to escalate privileges without user interaction.

Exploited in the wild: Not known
Login needed: Not needed
Attackable: Local or same network only
Victim action needed: Not needed
Fix: None listed

What is CVE-2026-20531?

CVE-2026-20531 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in MediaTek, Inc. MediaTek chipset, published on 5 Oct 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

In apu, there is a possible memory corruption due to use after free. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation. Patch ID: ALPS11249016; Issue ID: MSV-9169.

Weakness: CWE-416

Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-20531?

It affects 6 products.

Products include Mediatek Mt6899 Firmware, Mediatek Mt6993 Firmware, Mediatek Mt8668 Firmware, Mediatek Mt8781 Firmware, Mediatek Mt8793 Firmware, Mediatek Mt8910 Firmware.

How do I fix CVE-2026-20531?

No fix has been published for CVE-2026-20531 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-2026-20531 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-20531 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Sources

Also known as GHSA-f6jh-r28v-p526.