Skip to main content
VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2023-33074: Qualcomm Snapdragon · Use After Free

Affects Qualcomm SnapdragonSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 8.4 High.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
8.4High
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.1% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 3% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 7 Nov 2023

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

AI-suggested

Mitigation of CVE-2023-33074 requires coordinated efforts between device manufacturers, software vendors, and end users. Specific recommendations include: 1) Promptly apply firmware and software updates provided by device OEMs and Qualcomm that address this vulnerability; 2) Monitor vendor advisories and security bulletins for patches related to affected Snapdragon platforms; 3) Implement strict application whitelisting and privilege restrictions to limit local access that could trigger SSR events maliciously; 4) Employ runtime protections such as memory corruption mitigations (e.g., ASLR, DEP) where supported by the device; 5) For enterprise deployments, restrict physical and network access to devices to reduce risk of local exploitation; 6) Conduct security audits and penetration testing focusing on audio subsystem interactions and SSR event handling; 7) Educate users about risks of installing untrusted applications that could exploit local vulnerabilities; 8) Utilize endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to identify anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Since no public exploits are known yet, proactive patching and access control are critical to prevent future attacks.

Description

CVE-2023-33074 is a high-severity use-after-free vulnerability in Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets affecting audio components when a subsystem restart (SSR) event occurs after music playback stops. It can lead to memory corruption, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service without requiring user interaction or privileges. The vulnerability impacts a wide range of Snapdragon platforms, including mobile, wearable, and XR devices. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. European organizations using devices with affected Snapdragon chipsets, especially in critical communication or IoT infrastructure, could face confidentiality, integrity, and availability risks. Mitigation requires timely firmware and software updates from device manufacturers and careful monitoring of SSR event handling. Countries with high smartphone and IoT adoption, such as Germany, France, and the UK, are most likely to be affected due to market penetration and strategic importance. Given the ease of exploitation and broad impact, this vulnerability is rated as high severity.

References

Community reviews

Loading reviews…