EUVD-2025-16785
CVSS Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Lifecycle Timeline
3Tags
Description
An issue was discovered in Samsung Mobile Processor Exynos 980, 990, 1080, 2100, 1280, 2200, 1380. A Use-After-Free in the mobile processor leads to privilege escalation.
Analysis
Use-After-Free (UAF) vulnerability in Samsung's Exynos mobile processors (980, 990, 1080, 2100, 1280, 2200, 1380) that enables local privilege escalation. An authenticated attacker with local access can exploit this memory safety flaw to gain elevated privileges on affected devices. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8 (High), reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, though exploitation requires local access and existing user-level privileges.
Technical Context
The vulnerability exists in Samsung's Exynos System-on-Chip (SoC) processors, which integrate CPU, GPU, modem, and security subsystems. The root cause is CWE-416 (Use-After-Free), a memory corruption flaw where code attempts to access memory regions after they have been freed, leading to undefined behavior. In the context of mobile processors, this likely affects kernel-space or secure execution environment (TEE) code within the Exynos firmware. The affected CPE range includes Samsung Exynos 980 (Galaxy A51), 990 (Galaxy S20/Z Fold 2), 1080 (Galaxy A71), 2100 (Galaxy S21), 1280 (mid-range), 2200 (Galaxy S22), and 1380 (Galaxy A52/A72). This UAF could occur in interrupt handlers, device drivers, or memory management routines within the processor's firmware stack, potentially exposing privileged execution contexts.
Affected Products
Samsung Mobile Processors and affected devices: (1) Exynos 980 – Galaxy A51 (2019); (2) Exynos 990 – Galaxy S20, Galaxy Z Fold 2 (2020); (3) Exynos 1080 – Galaxy A71 (2020); (4) Exynos 2100 – Galaxy S21 series (2021); (5) Exynos 1280 – Galaxy A12, A22, A32 (mid-range 2021-2022); (6) Exynos 2200 – Galaxy S22, S22+, S22 Ultra (2022); (7) Exynos 1380 – Galaxy A52, A72 (2022). The vulnerability affects all software versions running on these processors prior to vendor patching. Check Samsung Security Advisory (SVT) for specific firmware build dates and device models. No specific CVE references or patch URLs were provided; consult Samsung Security Updates page (security.samsungmobile.com) and carrier OTA release notes for device-specific patches.
Remediation
Immediate actions: (1) Monitor Samsung Security Advisory bulletins for CVE-2025-23098 firmware patches targeting Exynos 980, 990, 1080, 2100, 1280, 2200, 1380 processors. (2) Deploy Over-The-Air (OTA) updates once available; Samsung typically releases monthly or quarterly security updates bundled with other fixes. (3) For enterprise deployments, enforce application sandboxing and SELinux policies to limit local privilege escalation impact if patching is delayed. (4) Restrict sideloading of untrusted apps (require Google Play Protect or enterprise app stores) to reduce attack surface. (5) Mitigations pending patch: disable unknown app installations, use mobile device management (MDM) to enforce app whitelisting, and educate users against phishing/malicious downloads. (6) For affected devices, apply the latest available security patch level; Samsung patches are cumulative. No workaround eliminates the vulnerability; patching is mandatory. Coordinate with carriers (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) for timely OTA availability.
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