CVE-2024-53020 is a high-severity buffer over-read vulnerability (CWE-126) found in various Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms and associated wireless connectivity modules. The flaw occurs during the decoding of RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) packets that contain invalid header extensions received from the network. Specifically, when the RTP packet header extension is malformed or crafted maliciously, the decoding process reads beyond the allocated buffer boundaries, leading to an information disclosure condition. This vulnerability affects a broad range of Qualcomm products, including numerous Snapdragon mobile platforms (from Snapdragon 210 up to Snapdragon 8 Gen 3), FastConnect wireless subsystems, and various Qualcomm connectivity chips (QCA, QCM, QCS series), as well as automotive, wearable, and video collaboration platforms. The vulnerability does not require user interaction or privileges to exploit and can be triggered remotely over the network (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.2, reflecting a high impact on confidentiality with no impact on integrity and a low impact on availability. Exploitation could allow an attacker to leak sensitive information from memory, potentially aiding further attacks or reconnaissance. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed in June 2025, with the initial reservation in November 2024.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk primarily through mobile devices, IoT, automotive systems, and enterprise equipment that incorporate affected Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets or connectivity modules. Since Snapdragon platforms are widely used in smartphones, tablets, automotive infotainment systems, and industrial IoT devices, the potential for information leakage could expose sensitive corporate or personal data, including cryptographic keys, credentials, or proprietary information. The remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit increases the attack surface, especially in environments where devices are connected to untrusted or public networks. Critical sectors such as telecommunications, automotive manufacturing, healthcare, and finance in Europe could be impacted due to their reliance on mobile and embedded systems using these chipsets. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks by adversaries targeting European enterprises or government entities. The broad product range affected means that many devices in use across Europe could be vulnerable, increasing the urgency for mitigation.

Given the absence of official patches at the time of disclosure, European organizations should take proactive and layered mitigation steps: 1) Inventory and identify all devices and embedded systems using affected Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms and connectivity modules within their environment. 2) Apply any available firmware or software updates from device manufacturers or Qualcomm as soon as they are released. 3) Employ network-level protections such as RTP packet inspection and filtering to detect and block malformed RTP packets with invalid header extensions, using advanced intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) capable of RTP protocol analysis. 4) Segment and isolate critical systems and IoT devices to limit exposure to untrusted networks, especially those that rely on vulnerable chipsets. 5) Monitor network traffic for unusual RTP activity or signs of exploitation attempts. 6) Engage with device vendors and service providers to prioritize updates and confirm remediation status. 7) For automotive and industrial systems, coordinate with suppliers to ensure timely firmware updates and consider compensating controls such as enhanced network segmentation and anomaly detection. These steps go beyond generic patching advice by emphasizing network-level controls and asset management tailored to the affected Qualcomm platforms.