CVE-2025-20968 is a high-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) affecting Samsung Gallery, a native photo and media management application on Samsung Mobile devices. The flaw exists in versions prior to 14.5.10.3 for Global Android 13, 14.5.09.3 for China Android 13, and 15.5.04.5 for Android 14. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to bypass access control mechanisms and gain unauthorized access to data and internal operations within the Samsung Gallery app. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.2, indicating a high impact with an attack vector of network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction needed (UI:N), and a scope change (S:C). The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity by allowing unauthorized data access and manipulation, but does not affect availability. The scope change indicates that the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially impacting other system components or data domains. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the ease of exploitation and lack of required privileges make this a significant risk. The vulnerability is specific to Samsung Gallery on Samsung Mobile devices running Android 13 and 14, which are widely used across global markets. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation and monitoring.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk due to the widespread use of Samsung mobile devices among employees and consumers. Unauthorized access to Samsung Gallery could lead to exposure of sensitive personal and corporate media files, potentially leaking confidential information or intellectual property. Attackers could manipulate gallery data or perform unauthorized internal operations, which might be leveraged for further attacks or espionage. Given the vulnerability requires no privileges or user interaction, it could be exploited remotely, increasing the attack surface especially in environments where mobile devices connect to corporate networks or handle sensitive data. This could undermine data privacy compliance obligations under GDPR and other regulations, leading to legal and reputational consequences. Additionally, the scope change suggests that exploitation might impact other system components, raising concerns about broader device compromise. Organizations relying on Samsung devices for secure communications or data handling should consider this vulnerability critical to address promptly.

1. Immediate deployment of Samsung's official patches once released for the affected versions of Samsung Gallery is essential. Monitor Samsung security advisories closely. 2. Until patches are available, restrict network access to Samsung Gallery where possible, for example by limiting app permissions or using mobile device management (MDM) solutions to control app behavior. 3. Implement network segmentation and enforce strict access controls on corporate Wi-Fi and VPNs to reduce exposure of vulnerable devices. 4. Educate users about the risks of connecting to untrusted networks and encourage regular updates of device software. 5. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of monitoring anomalous app behavior on mobile devices to detect potential exploitation attempts. 6. Review and audit mobile device policies to ensure minimal necessary permissions are granted to apps like Samsung Gallery. 7. Consider temporary use of alternative gallery applications with stronger security controls if patching is delayed. 8. Maintain comprehensive mobile asset inventories to quickly identify and remediate vulnerable devices within the organization.