CVE-2025-20701 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the Bluetooth audio SDKs developed by Airoha Technology Corp., specifically affecting the AB156x, AB157x, AB158x, and AB159x series. The vulnerability stems from an incorrect authorization mechanism (CWE-863) within the Bluetooth pairing process. This flaw allows an attacker to pair a Bluetooth audio device without requiring user consent or interaction, effectively bypassing normal security controls that prevent unauthorized device pairing. Exploitation does not require any prior privileges or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over the Bluetooth interface. Once paired, the attacker can escalate privileges on the device, potentially gaining full control over the Bluetooth audio functionalities. The vulnerability impacts multiple versions of the Airoha IoT SDK for Bluetooth audio (v5.5.0 and earlier) and the AB1561x/AB1562x/AB1563x SDK (v3.3.1 and earlier). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and no privileges or user interaction required. This vulnerability could be leveraged to intercept audio streams, inject malicious audio data, or disrupt device operation, posing significant risks to user privacy and device reliability. No public exploits are known at this time, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that affected organizations should prioritize mitigation and monitoring efforts.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-20701 is significant, especially those relying on Bluetooth audio devices integrated with Airoha's SDKs in their products or infrastructure. The unauthorized pairing can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive audio data, potentially compromising confidentiality in environments such as corporate offices, healthcare facilities, or government agencies where sensitive conversations may occur. Integrity of audio streams can be compromised, enabling attackers to inject or manipulate audio, which could be exploited for social engineering or misinformation. Availability may also be affected if attackers disrupt Bluetooth audio services, impacting business operations or user experience. Given the remote and user-interaction-free nature of the exploit, attackers can operate stealthily, increasing the risk of undetected breaches. The vulnerability also poses risks to consumer devices used by employees, which could serve as entry points into corporate networks. The lack of patches increases the urgency for European organizations to implement compensating controls to mitigate exposure.

1. Inventory and identify all devices and products using affected Airoha SDK versions within the organization, including IoT devices, Bluetooth headsets, and embedded audio systems. 2. Engage with device vendors and Airoha Technology Corp. to obtain security updates or patches as soon as they become available. 3. Implement strict Bluetooth device management policies, including disabling automatic pairing and enforcing manual pairing approvals where possible. 4. Use Bluetooth monitoring tools to detect unauthorized pairing attempts or unusual Bluetooth activity within organizational environments. 5. Segment networks to isolate Bluetooth-enabled devices from critical infrastructure to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 6. Educate users about the risks of unauthorized Bluetooth connections and encourage reporting of suspicious device behavior. 7. Consider deploying endpoint security solutions capable of monitoring Bluetooth interfaces and alerting on anomalous activities. 8. For high-security environments, consider disabling Bluetooth audio functionalities temporarily until patches are applied or mitigations are in place.