The error in mtk-su typically indicates a failure during the initialization phase of the exploit, often related to the tool's inability to gain the necessary permissions or communicate with the target process on the MediaTek (MTK) chipset. Common Causes & Fixes
The mtksu tool requires a compatible DA file specific to your chipset. Using a DA from an MT6765 on an MT6785 (Helio G90T) will often fail at init step 3. The "hot" tag might appear because the DA sent to RAM doesn’t match the running hardware’s signature. mtksu failed critical init step 3 hot
: If your device has received a firmware update with a security patch level newer than what the exploit supports, the vulnerability has likely been closed. Processor Incompatibility "Failed critical init step 3" The error in
Jonah remembered a recent change: the vendor’s update moved the PMIC initialization earlier in sequence. Under rare cross-talk, the thermal sensor’s pull-up didn’t reach stable voltage in time. When MTKSU asked for a read, the sensor was still waking and didn’t ACK, so HOT failed the critical init and halted the high-power path. Power off your device
Additionally, modern Android features like and dm-verity act as gatekeepers. Even if the exploit manages to trigger, these systems may detect an unauthorized change in permissions and immediately kill the process to protect the integrity of the device. Conclusion
The exploit often fails if SELinux is set to a strict "Enforcing" mode that blocks the specific memory syscall the tool needs.