CVE-2022-32609 is a vulnerability identified in various MediaTek SoCs (System on Chips) including models MT6762, MT6768, MT6779, MT6781, MT6785, MT6789, MT6833, MT6853, MT6853T, MT6855, MT6873, MT6875, MT6877, MT6879, MT6883, MT6885, MT6889, MT6891, MT6893, MT6895, MT6983, MT8168, MT8185, MT8365, MT8696, MT8768, MT8786, MT8789, MT8791, MT8797, and MT8798. These chips are widely used in Android smartphones running versions 11.0, 12.0, and 13.0. The vulnerability arises from a use-after-free condition within the Video Codec Unit (VCU) component caused by a race condition. This flaw allows a local attacker with existing high privileges (System execution privileges) to escalate their privileges further without requiring any user interaction. The race condition leads to improper memory handling, enabling an attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service by manipulating the freed memory. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.4 (medium severity), with vector AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, indicating that the attack requires local access, high attack complexity, and high privileges but no user interaction, and can impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability significantly. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and MediaTek has assigned a patch ID ALPS07203410 to address this issue. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-662 (Improper Synchronization), highlighting the root cause as a concurrency issue in memory management within the VCU driver or firmware. Given the affected Android versions and chipsets, this vulnerability primarily impacts devices using MediaTek SoCs in the mid-range and budget smartphone market segments. Exploitation requires local system privileges, meaning an attacker must have some foothold on the device already, but can then escalate to full system privileges, potentially compromising the entire device.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-32609 is primarily on mobile devices that use affected MediaTek chipsets running Android 11 to 13. Organizations with employees using such devices for corporate communications, remote access, or handling sensitive data face risks of device compromise. An attacker who gains local access (e.g., via a malicious app, phishing, or physical access) could escalate privileges to system level, bypassing security controls and potentially accessing confidential corporate data, intercepting communications, or deploying persistent malware. This could lead to data breaches, espionage, or disruption of business operations. The vulnerability also poses risks to sectors relying on secure mobile communications such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies. Although exploitation requires local access and high privileges, the lack of need for user interaction lowers the barrier once foothold is established. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate it, especially as threat actors may develop exploits over time. The widespread use of MediaTek SoCs in affordable smartphones popular in Europe means a significant number of devices could be vulnerable, affecting both personal and enterprise environments. The impact on device availability and integrity could disrupt mobile-dependent workflows and services.

1. Immediate deployment of vendor-provided patches (ALPS07203410) on all affected devices is critical. Coordinate with device manufacturers and mobile carriers to ensure timely updates. 2. Implement Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to enforce patch compliance and restrict installation of untrusted applications that could provide initial local access. 3. Employ application whitelisting and privilege restrictions on mobile devices to limit the ability of apps to gain elevated privileges. 4. Educate users on avoiding installation of unverified apps and recognizing phishing attempts that could lead to local compromise. 5. For high-risk environments, consider device hardening techniques such as disabling unnecessary services and enforcing strong authentication to reduce initial access opportunities. 6. Monitor device behavior for signs of privilege escalation or abnormal activity indicative of exploitation attempts. 7. Encourage use of devices with alternative chipsets or updated firmware where possible to reduce exposure. 8. Collaborate with mobile security vendors to deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions tailored for mobile platforms to detect exploitation attempts early.