Cyber Resilience

CVE-2026-0031

Memory Safety in Google Android

Published
02 March 2026
Modified
06 March 2026
Patch / advisory
CVSS Score v3.1 8.4
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0015 5th percentile
Risk Priority 59 floored blend · peak EPSS

Summary

CVE-2026-0031 is a high-severity Integer Overflow or Wraparound (CWE-190) vulnerability in Google Android. Its CVSS base score is 8.4 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploitation for Privilege Escalation (T1068); ranked at the 5th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to SA-11 (Developer Testing and Evaluation) and SA-8 (Security and Privacy Engineering Principles) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary

Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.

CVE-2026-0031 is a vulnerability involving an out-of-bounds write due to an integer overflow (CWE-190) in multiple functions within mem_protect.c of the Android kernel's common branch. It affects Android devices running vulnerable kernel versions, with the issue publicly disclosed on March 2, 2026. The flaw carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.4 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating high severity due to its potential for significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

A local attacker can exploit this vulnerability to achieve escalation of privilege without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. The attack requires only local access to the device, with low complexity, allowing an unprivileged process to potentially overwrite memory outside intended bounds and gain elevated permissions on the system.

Android's March 2026 security bulletin at source.android.com/docs/security/bulletin/2026/2026-03-01 details the issue and recommends applying upstream kernel patches, including commits such as 986614312222d4b3bdcf16840cdb4abdaed8a42d, aff2255dbe38dc7c57bac8d3ba9feed989289b20, and f3a4b4d4a1fe2aface7de74ac257b8705b6de472 available in the kernel/common repository. Device vendors are advised to integrate these fixes into their kernel builds for mitigation.

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

In multiple functions of mem_protect.c, there is a possible out of bounds write due to an integer overflow. This could lead to local escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.

CWE(s)

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in an attempt to elevate privileges.
T1190 Exploit Public-Facing Application Initial Access
Adversaries may attempt to exploit a weakness in an Internet-facing host or system to initially access a network.
T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution Execution
Adversaries may exploit software vulnerabilities in client applications to execute code.
T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services Lateral Movement
Adversaries may exploit remote services to gain unauthorized access to internal systems once inside of a network.
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2024-31333Same product: Google Android
CVE-2026-0052Same product: Google Android
CVE-2025-48595Same product: Google Android
CVE-2023-48409Same product: Google Android
CVE-2023-21193Same product: Google Android
CVE-2026-0080Same product: Google Android
CVE-2026-0041Same product: Google Android
CVE-2026-0044Same product: Google Android
CVE-2026-0028Same product: Google Android
CVE-2026-0040Same product: Google Android

Affected Assets

google
android
all versions

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)

Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V5.2.6

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

Developer testing and evaluation (static analysis, fuzzing, unit tests) directly finds integer overflow defects before deployment.

Secure engineering principles require use of safe arithmetic constructs or language features that structurally eliminate integer overflow during calculation.

Input validation enforces bounds on values before arithmetic, stopping the conditions that trigger overflow or wraparound.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.PS-06 mostly match
prevents

Secure SDLC practices directly require use of safe arithmetic, bounds checks, and testing that prevent integer overflows.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

finds

Security testing in development can detect integer overflows before release.

prevents

Secure SDLC mandates input validation and arithmetic checks that prevent integer overflows.

degrades

Application security requirements include bounds checking and safe arithmetic to avoid overflow conditions.

degrades

Secure architecture principles require defensive coding patterns that mitigate integer wraparound risks.

prevents

Secure coding standards explicitly forbid unsafe integer operations and mandate overflow-safe constructs.

References