CVE-2025-20764 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability classified under CWE-787, affecting a broad range of MediaTek chipsets including MT6739, MT6761, MT6765, MT6768, MT6781, MT6789, MT6833, MT6835, MT6853, MT6855, MT6877, MT6878, MT6879, MT6883, MT6885, MT6886, MT6889, MT6893, MT6895, MT6897, MT6899, MT6983, MT6985, MT6989, MT6991, MT8196, MT8676, MT8678, MT8792, MT8793, MT8796, MT8873, and MT8893. These chipsets are integrated into many Android smartphones running Android versions 14.0 through 16.0. The vulnerability arises from a missing bounds check in the 'smi' component, which leads to an out-of-bounds write condition. This flaw can be exploited locally by an attacker who already has System-level privileges on the device, enabling them to escalate privileges further. Notably, exploitation does not require user interaction, increasing the risk of automated or stealthy attacks once initial access is gained. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as it allows arbitrary memory corruption potentially leading to code execution or system crashes. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the presence of a patch (ALPS10259774) indicates vendor awareness and remediation efforts. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) reflects a high severity with local attack vector, low attack complexity, and significant impact on system security properties. The vulnerability is particularly concerning for environments where devices with these MediaTek chipsets are used in sensitive or critical roles, as it could facilitate privilege escalation attacks post-compromise.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-20764 can be significant, especially in sectors relying heavily on mobile devices for secure communications, authentication, or operational control. The vulnerability allows attackers with existing System privileges to escalate their access, potentially leading to full device compromise, data leakage, or disruption of services. This could affect corporate mobile endpoints, bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies, and mobile workforce security. Confidentiality breaches could expose sensitive corporate or personal data, while integrity violations might allow manipulation of critical applications or data. Availability impacts could result from device crashes or denial of service caused by memory corruption. Given the widespread use of MediaTek chipsets in affordable and mid-range Android devices popular across Europe, the threat surface is broad. Additionally, the lack of user interaction for exploitation increases the risk of automated attacks within compromised environments. Organizations in regulated industries such as finance, healthcare, and government should be particularly vigilant due to the potential for compliance violations and reputational damage.

1. Apply official patches from MediaTek or device manufacturers as soon as they become available to remediate the vulnerability. 2. Restrict System-level privileges on devices to trusted applications and processes only, minimizing the risk of privilege escalation. 3. Employ mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies, monitor for anomalous privilege escalations, and deploy updates promptly. 4. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing on mobile endpoints to detect potential exploitation attempts. 5. Educate users and administrators about the risks of granting elevated privileges and the importance of installing updates. 6. Implement runtime protections such as address space layout randomization (ASLR) and control flow integrity (CFI) where supported by the device OS to mitigate exploitation impact. 7. Monitor threat intelligence feeds for emerging exploit techniques targeting this vulnerability to adapt defenses proactively. 8. For critical environments, consider device isolation or segmentation to limit the spread of compromise from affected devices.