# CVE-2026-20481: MediaTek geniezone out-of-bounds write

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-20481-mediatek-geniezone-out-of-bounds-write  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-08-03. Updated: 2026-09-25  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-20481 · Severity: medium · CVSS 6 · Published 2026-08-03

MediaTek's geniezone security component is vulnerable to an out-of-bounds memory write due to missing input validation. An attacker who already has system-level privileges could exploit this to escalate their access further or corrupt system memory, potentially leading to device compromise or malfunction.

Technologies: [MediaTek GenieZone](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/geniezone), [MediaTek Mt6989](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt6989), [MediaTek Mt6989 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt6989-firmware), [MediaTek MT8755](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8755), [MediaTek Mt8755 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8755-firmware), [MediaTek Mt8768](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8768), [MediaTek Mt8768 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8768-firmware), [MediaTek Mt8771](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8771), [MediaTek Mt8771 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8771-firmware), [MediaTek MT8775](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8775), [MediaTek Mt8775 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8775-firmware), [MediaTek Mt8781](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8781), [MediaTek Mt8781 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8781-firmware), [MediaTek Mt8791t](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8791t), [MediaTek Mt8791t Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8791t-firmware), [MediaTek MT8792](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8792), [MediaTek Mt8792 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8792-firmware), [MediaTek Mt8793](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8793), [MediaTek Mt8793 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8793-firmware), [MediaTek MT8796](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8796), [MediaTek Mt8796 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8796-firmware), [MediaTek Mt8797](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8797), [MediaTek Mt8797 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8797-firmware), [MediaTek Mt8798](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8798), [MediaTek Mt8798 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8798-firmware), [MediaTek Mt8799](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8799), [MediaTek Mt8799 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8799-firmware), [MediaTek Mt8910](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8910), [MediaTek Mt8910 Firmware](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/mt8910-firmware). Vendors: [MediaTek](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/mediatek).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-20481 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-20481 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-20481?** Medium severity, with a CVSS score of 6, published 3 August 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** MediaTek geniezone.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-20481?** A patch was published on 2026-08-03: Patch ID: ALPS10965373 Junglewise finds every place you run it, drafts the upgrade and applies it once you approve.

**How is CVE-2026-20481 attacked?** It is attacked with local access.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-20481?** Check whether you run MediaTek GenieZone, MediaTek Mt6989, MediaTek Mt6989 Firmware or one of the others listed. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

This vulnerability is a missing bounds check leading to an out-of-bounds write (CWE-787) in MediaTek's geniezone component. The flaw allows an attacker with System privilege to write data beyond allocated buffer boundaries. Since the advisory states that System privilege is required and user interaction is not needed, exploitation requires the attacker to already have elevated system access on the device. Successful exploitation could enable privilege escalation, memory corruption, or arbitrary code execution with system-level permissions. MediaTek issued patch ALPS10965373 to address this issue.

## Affected products

- MediaTek geniezone

## Timeline

- 2026-08-03: disclosed
- 2026-08-03: patched: Patch ID: ALPS10965373

## References

- [https://www.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/August-2026](https://www.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/August-2026)

## Related threats

- [MediaTek Geniezone information disclosure via missing bounds check](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-20518-mediatek-geniezone-information-disclosure-via-missing-bounds)
- [MediaTek geniezone use-after-free privilege escalation](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-20517-mediatek-geniezone-use-after-free-privilege-escalation)
- [MediaTek GPU use after free leading to system crash](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-20515-mediatek-gpu-use-after-free-leading-to-system-crash)
- [MediaTek Modem denial of service due to missing bounds check](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-20504-mediatek-modem-denial-of-service-due-to-missing-bounds-check)
- [MediaTek Modem system crash due to missing bounds check](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-20503-mediatek-modem-system-crash-due-to-missing-bounds-check)