CVE-2025-20807 is a medium severity integer overflow vulnerability (CWE-190) identified in MediaTek's MT6899, MT6991, and MT8793 chipsets, specifically within the dpe component on devices running Android 16.0. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of integer values leading to an out-of-bounds write condition. This memory corruption flaw can be exploited locally by an attacker who has already obtained System privileges, enabling them to escalate privileges further, potentially gaining higher-level control over the device. The exploit does not require user interaction, increasing the risk of automated or stealthy attacks once initial access is achieved. The vulnerability affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability by allowing unauthorized modification of memory, which could lead to code execution or system instability. Although no public exploits are known, the presence of a patch (ALPS10114841) indicates vendor acknowledgment and remediation efforts. The affected chipsets are widely used in various consumer and enterprise devices, including smartphones and IoT hardware, making this a relevant threat vector. The vulnerability's CVSS vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) indicates local attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily in environments where devices powered by MediaTek MT6899, MT6991, or MT8793 chipsets are deployed, such as corporate smartphones, IoT devices, or embedded systems. An attacker who has already compromised a device at the System privilege level could exploit this flaw to gain higher privileges, potentially leading to full device compromise, unauthorized data access, or disruption of device functionality. This can impact sensitive corporate data confidentiality and integrity, disrupt business operations, and increase the attack surface for lateral movement within networks. Given the prevalence of Android devices in Europe, especially in sectors like telecommunications, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure, the vulnerability could be leveraged to target high-value assets. The lack of user interaction requirement facilitates stealthy exploitation in compromised environments. However, the prerequisite of System-level privileges limits the attack to scenarios where initial compromise has already occurred, making this a secondary but significant escalation vector.

European organizations should prioritize deploying the official patch ALPS10114841 provided by MediaTek or device manufacturers to remediate this vulnerability. In the absence of immediate patch availability, organizations should implement strict access controls to limit local System-level access on affected devices, including enforcing strong authentication and minimizing privileged accounts. Monitoring and logging local privilege escalations and anomalous system behavior on devices with the affected chipsets can help detect exploitation attempts early. Network segmentation should be employed to isolate critical devices and reduce the risk of lateral movement following local compromise. Additionally, organizations should maintain an updated inventory of devices using MediaTek MT6899, MT6991, and MT8793 chipsets to assess exposure accurately. Security teams should also coordinate with mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies and deploy patches swiftly. Finally, educating users about the risks of granting elevated privileges and avoiding installation of untrusted applications can reduce initial compromise likelihood.