CVE-2022-32610 is a medium-severity elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting a broad range of MediaTek SoCs (System on Chips), specifically models MT6762 through MT8798, which are widely used in mobile devices. The vulnerability resides in the Video Codec Unit (vcu) component, where a use-after-free condition can occur due to a race condition. This flaw allows a local attacker with existing system-level execution privileges to escalate their privileges further, potentially gaining full system control. Exploitation does not require user interaction, but it does require that the attacker already has system execution privileges, indicating a prerequisite level of access. The vulnerability impacts devices running Android versions 11, 12, and 13 that incorporate these MediaTek chipsets. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.4, reflecting medium severity, with vector AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, meaning the attack requires local access, high complexity, and high privileges, but can cause high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The root cause is a race condition leading to use-after-free (CWE-662), which can result in memory corruption and arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges. No known exploits are reported in the wild, and patches have been issued by MediaTek (ALPS07203476).

For European organizations, the primary impact is on mobile devices and embedded systems using MediaTek chipsets listed in the affected range, especially those running Android 11 through 13. Successful exploitation could allow attackers who have already compromised a device at a system level to escalate privileges further, potentially gaining full control over the device. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data, interception of communications, installation of persistent malware, or disruption of device functionality. Given the widespread use of MediaTek SoCs in mid-range and budget smartphones, enterprises with bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies or mobile workforce using such devices may face increased risk. The vulnerability's requirement for local system privileges limits remote exploitation, but insider threats or malware that gains initial foothold could leverage this flaw to deepen compromise. The impact extends to sectors relying on secure mobile communications, including finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, where device integrity is paramount. Additionally, the vulnerability could affect IoT devices and embedded systems in industrial or smart city deployments within Europe that use these chipsets, potentially impacting operational technology security.

1. Immediate deployment of vendor patches: Organizations should ensure that all affected devices receive the official MediaTek patch (ALPS07203476) as soon as possible. Coordination with device manufacturers and mobile carriers is essential to expedite updates. 2. Device inventory and risk assessment: Identify all devices using the affected MediaTek chipsets and Android versions within the organization to prioritize patching and monitoring. 3. Restrict local access: Since exploitation requires local system privileges, enforce strict device access controls, including strong authentication, device encryption, and disabling unnecessary debug or developer modes. 4. Endpoint detection and response (EDR): Deploy advanced EDR solutions capable of detecting privilege escalation attempts and anomalous behavior on mobile endpoints. 5. Limit app permissions and sandboxing: Enforce least privilege principles on mobile apps and use mobile device management (MDM) solutions to restrict installation of untrusted applications that could exploit the vulnerability. 6. User awareness and policy enforcement: Educate users about risks of installing unauthorized apps or rooting devices, which could facilitate exploitation. 7. Network segmentation and monitoring: Isolate mobile devices from critical network segments and monitor for suspicious lateral movement or privilege escalation activities. 8. Incident response readiness: Prepare for potential exploitation scenarios by having mobile forensic capabilities and incident response plans tailored to mobile device compromises.