CVE-2022-25702 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting a broad range of Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms, including Snapdragon Auto, Compute, Industrial IoT, Mobile, and Wearables. The vulnerability arises from a reachable assertion failure within the modem subsystem when processing a reconfiguration message. Specifically, the modem firmware encounters an assertion condition that can be triggered by crafted reconfiguration messages, leading to a denial of service (DoS) condition. This causes the modem to crash or become unresponsive, disrupting cellular connectivity and potentially impacting device functionality. The affected Snapdragon platforms span a wide array of chipsets, including but not limited to APQ, MSM, QCA, SD, SM, WCD, WCN, and WSA series, covering many generations and device types. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-617 (Reachable Assertion), indicating that the assertion can be triggered by external input, which in this case is the reconfiguration message processed by the modem. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no patches or mitigation details have been publicly disclosed by Qualcomm at the time of this report. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require the attacker to send a specially crafted reconfiguration message to the modem, which may be feasible in certain network or device contexts. The impact is primarily a denial of service affecting modem availability, which can disrupt voice, data, and other cellular services dependent on the modem's operation.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-25702 can be significant, especially for sectors relying heavily on mobile connectivity and IoT devices. Industries such as automotive (connected cars using Snapdragon Auto), industrial automation (Snapdragon Industrial IoT), mobile communications, and wearable technology may experience service disruptions due to modem failures. Denial of service in modems can lead to loss of critical communications, affecting operational continuity, safety systems in automotive contexts, and real-time data transmission in industrial environments. Enterprises deploying Snapdragon-based devices for remote monitoring or mobile workforce connectivity could face interruptions, impacting productivity and potentially causing financial losses. Additionally, the widespread use of affected Snapdragon chipsets in consumer mobile devices across Europe means that large user bases could experience network outages or degraded service quality, indirectly affecting business operations and customer satisfaction. The lack of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the broad device footprint and critical role of modems in connectivity elevate the threat's potential impact. Furthermore, disruption in communication infrastructure could have cascading effects on emergency services, logistics, and supply chain operations within European countries.

Given the absence of publicly available patches, European organizations should implement targeted mitigations beyond generic advice. First, network operators and device manufacturers should prioritize monitoring for anomalous reconfiguration messages that could trigger the assertion failure, employing deep packet inspection and anomaly detection tools within cellular networks. Deploying network-level filtering to block malformed or suspicious reconfiguration messages can reduce exposure. Organizations should engage with Qualcomm and device vendors to obtain firmware updates or patches as soon as they become available and plan for timely deployment. For critical infrastructure and automotive systems, implementing redundancy in communication modules and failover mechanisms can mitigate the impact of modem outages. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough inventory assessments to identify devices with affected Snapdragon chipsets and evaluate their exposure based on deployment scenarios. For IoT and industrial environments, segmenting networks and restricting access to modem interfaces can limit attack vectors. Finally, maintaining up-to-date device firmware and applying security best practices for device management will help reduce the attack surface.