CVE-2025-20955 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Samsung Mobile devices affecting the NotificationHistoryImageProvider component prior to the May 2025 Security Maintenance Release (SMR). The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-926, which pertains to the improper export of Android application components. Specifically, this flaw allows local attackers—those with some level of access to the device but not necessarily elevated privileges—to access notification images that should otherwise be protected. The vulnerability arises because the NotificationHistoryImageProvider component is improperly exported, meaning it is accessible to other applications or processes on the device without adequate access controls. This improper export can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive notification images, impacting user privacy and confidentiality. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5, indicating a medium severity level. The vector string (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) shows that the attack requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and results in high confidentiality impact (C:H) but no impact on integrity (I:N) or availability (A:N). There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, and no patch links have been provided yet, suggesting that the vulnerability was recently disclosed and may be pending remediation. The vulnerability affects Samsung Mobile devices broadly, but specific affected versions are not detailed in the provided information. The improper export of components is a common Android security issue where developers mistakenly expose internal components to other apps, which can be exploited to leak sensitive data or escalate privileges. In this case, the leakage concerns notification images, which may contain sensitive or private information displayed in notifications.

For European organizations, the primary impact of this vulnerability lies in the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive notification content on Samsung Mobile devices used by employees. Notification images can include previews of emails, messages, calendar events, or other confidential information. If an attacker gains local access to a device—through physical access, malware with limited privileges, or other means—they could exploit this vulnerability to extract sensitive notification images, leading to privacy breaches and potential leakage of corporate or personal data. This could undermine compliance with stringent European data protection regulations such as GDPR, especially if personal or sensitive data is exposed. Additionally, organizations relying heavily on Samsung Mobile devices for communication and collaboration may face increased risk of insider threats or targeted attacks exploiting this vulnerability. Although the vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability, the confidentiality breach alone can have significant reputational and legal consequences. The lack of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk, but the medium severity and ease of exploitation (low complexity, no user interaction) mean that attackers with local access could leverage this flaw if unpatched. This is particularly relevant for sectors with high privacy requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies in Europe.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should: 1) Ensure all Samsung Mobile devices are updated promptly with the May 2025 SMR or later security patches once available from Samsung. 2) Implement strict device access controls to prevent unauthorized local access, including enforcing strong lock screen protections, biometric authentication, and device encryption. 3) Restrict installation of untrusted or potentially malicious applications that could exploit local access to probe exported components. 4) Employ Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to monitor device compliance, enforce security policies, and remotely wipe or lock devices if compromised. 5) Educate users about the risks of physical device access and the importance of securing their devices. 6) For highly sensitive environments, consider disabling or restricting notification previews on lock screens or within notifications to minimize exposure of sensitive images. 7) Monitor for updates and advisories from Samsung and relevant cybersecurity authorities to apply patches and mitigations promptly. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local access vectors and minimizing exposure of notification content, which is the core risk of this vulnerability.