Anatomy of HTC Sense Vulnerability: Bypassing FRP Lock on HTC U11 Plus Without PC

A detailed technical breakdown reveals how an old HTC U11 Plus running Android 8 or 9 can have its Factory Reset Protection bypassed after a forgotten pattern lock. The method uses the device's own email client and credential storage system to force a new PIN without any PC or external tools. Multiple standard bypass attempts failed due to HTC Sense restrictions, including muscle memory recovery, Google account removal, Find My Device, and bootloader unlocking. The working exploit leverages the Exchange account setup flow to trigger Credential Storage Bypass, which overrides FRP flags by prioritizing certificate requests over setup wizard locks. A combined fingerprint and PIN option then allows creation of a new credential that survives reboot and passes the post-reset Google verification. The technique exploits architectural priority conflicts between the Biometric Framework and FRP enforcement in HTC Sense firmware.

HabrOctober 22, 2026Translated from Russian

Read at source

A technical analysis details how an HTC U11 Plus running older HTC Sense firmware on Android 8 or Android 9 can bypass Factory Reset Protection after a forgotten pattern lock, using only a working SIM card and no PC.

The author first documented numerous failed attempts that included muscle memory recovery, Google account unlinking via web, Find My Device, standard Hard Reset, bootloader unlocking through HTCdev, SIM PIN tricks, and attempts to reach hidden menus through the Help app or intent links. All standard paths remained blocked by the FRP-enforced setup wizard.

The working method begins by accessing the emergency contacts screen during initial setup language selection. A contact from the SIM is added, an email address is inserted into the contact, and the resulting mail icon is used to open the Gmail app. From there the user selects an Exchange account instead of Google, enters manual server settings, and reaches the Client Certificate option.

Selecting the certificate triggers a system prompt to set a screen lock. Choosing the combined fingerprint and PIN option bypasses the grayed-out single-method choices because the Biometric Framework runs in a higher-priority thread isolated from FRP checks. A simple PIN such as 1234 is set, the fingerprint step is skipped, and the device is restarted.

After reboot the new PIN satisfies the FRP check, allowing the Google account setup screen to display an active Skip button. The device can then be configured with a fresh account.

Technical root cause

The exploit succeeds because of three weaknesses in HTC Sense: context isolation that prevents direct calls to ChooseLockGeneric, higher architectural priority of Credential Storage requests over FRP flags, and separation of the biometric registration thread from setup-wizard restrictions. The technique is specific to older HTC firmware and demonstrates how legacy email and certificate subsystems can still be leveraged for lock bypass.

HTC U11 Plus HTC Sense Credential Storage Exchange Account Biometric Framework

ShareX Facebook LinkedIn Reddit

Meridian digestThe week's most consequential security stories, distilled into one briefing.See the digest

More in Vulnerabilities & Exploits

Vulnerabilities & Exploits

Telegram for Android Patches Voice Call Vulnerability Enabling Code Execution

Security researchers at NebuSec disclosed a vulnerability in Telegram for Android that allowed remote code execution after a victim answered a voice call. The flaw affected versions from 8.6.2 through 12.10.3 and was fixed in release 12.10.4 at the end of September. The issue stemmed from improper handling of MediaState service messages that carry microphone, camera, and video rotation data during calls. When a required field was missing, the application accessed invalid memory. NebuSec discovered the bug using its Code Security product running on a GPT-5.4 model and confirmed exploitation on ARM64 Android devices for personal calls. A demonstration showed the string “HACKED BY NEBUSEC” appearing roughly 30 seconds after the call was accepted. The vulnerability is unrelated to the earlier animated-sticker attack vector.

AntiMalwareOct 29, 2026Translated from Russian

Vulnerabilities & Exploits

Yandex Patches Millions of Stations After eMudhra Certificate Keys Compromised

Yandex has automatically deployed security updates to millions of its smart speakers and partner televisions running YaOS between October 21 and 23. The patches address compromised intermediate certificates issued by eMudhra whose private keys consisted of trivial values from 1 to 255. Attackers who obtained these keys could generate fraudulent certificates and perform man-in-the-middle attacks against device HTTPS traffic. Enthusiasts demonstrated that local network control combined with the certificates allowed replacement of server configuration, activation of ADB, and acquisition of root access on the devices. The update removes trust in the affected certificates, overwrites compromised system files, and disables the debug interface. A factory reset restores the vulnerable firmware, so Yandex advises against resets without a compelling reason.

AntiMalwareOct 29, 2026Translated from Russian

Vulnerabilities & Exploits

Cisco ASA and FTD Face DoS Vulnerability in SSL VPN Already Exploited in the Wild

Cisco Systems has disclosed a denial-of-service vulnerability affecting its Cisco Secure Firewall ASA and Cisco Secure Firewall FTD products. The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-76418, resides in the SSL VPN remote access feature and carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.6, rated High severity. Exploitation occurs when secondary authentication is configured on tunnel groups, allowing an attacker to send a crafted request that forces a device reboot without requiring authentication. Cisco confirmed active exploitation of the issue in October 2026. Security updates addressing the vulnerability are now available for both affected product lines. The advisory recommends immediate application of the patches to prevent service disruption.

Security NEXTOct 29, 2026Translated from Japanese