# Researchers demonstrate Android crash loop triggered by app installation

_Published Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 4:37 AM EST · Security · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![Researchers demonstrate Android crash loop triggered by app installation — Primary](https://www.bleepstatic.com/content/hl-images/2026/10/14/android.jpg)

Bitdefender researchers demonstrated an Android flaw called GhostMap that lets an installed app trigger a persistent crash loop without requesting permissions or being launched, BleepingComputer reported. Their test used a Pixel 10 running Android 17 with the August 5 security patch.

The flaw exploits two libraries' different interpretations of ZIP compression methods. A malformed app resource crashes a core Android service whenever it reads the file, restarting the cycle. Recovery requires a factory reset or deleting the file through ADB, which requires debugging to have been enabled beforehand and scripts to act before another crash.

Bitdefender says Google classified its reports as out of scope for a security update, reserving the issue for consideration in a future update.

## Sources

- [BleepingComputer](https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/ghostmap-android-flaw-lets-malicious-app-trigger-persistent-boot-loop/)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/2BQye6G99HaJCrLb2KJsw4
Published: 2026-11-05T09:37:01.859Z
Story chronology: 2026-11-05T09:18:29.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-11-05T11:53:06.923Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)