CVE-2025-20974 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Samsung Mobile's PackageInstallerCN component, affecting versions prior to 15.0.11.0. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of insufficient permissions or privileges (CWE-280) within the PackageInstallerCN service. Specifically, this flaw allows a local attacker with limited privileges (PR:L) to bypass the requirement for user interaction (UI:N) when requesting the installation of applications. The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have some level of access to the device, but does not require elevated privileges or user interaction to exploit the vulnerability. The impact primarily affects confidentiality (C:H), with limited impact on integrity (I:L) and no impact on availability (A:N). By circumventing user consent dialogs, an attacker could silently install malicious applications or software components, potentially leading to unauthorized data access or leakage. The vulnerability does not require user interaction, increasing the risk of stealthy exploitation. However, exploitation requires local access and some level of privilege, which somewhat limits the attack surface. No known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability was reserved in November 2024 and published in May 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting suggests that affected users should be vigilant and apply updates once available. This vulnerability is specific to Samsung Mobile devices using the PackageInstallerCN component, which is likely a region-specific or customized package installer variant used in certain markets, including China. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.1 reflects a medium severity rating, balancing the high confidentiality impact against the local attack vector and required privileges.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-20974 lies in the potential for unauthorized application installations on Samsung mobile devices used within corporate environments. This could lead to data exfiltration, espionage, or introduction of malware that compromises sensitive corporate information. Since the vulnerability allows bypassing user interaction, attackers could deploy malicious apps silently, increasing the risk of persistent threats and insider attacks. The confidentiality breach could affect personal data of employees, intellectual property, and customer information, potentially violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. Although the vulnerability requires local access, this could be achieved through physical device access or via other compromised applications, especially in environments with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies. The limited impact on integrity and availability reduces the risk of system-wide disruption but does not eliminate the threat of stealthy data compromise. Organizations relying heavily on Samsung mobile devices, particularly those with customized firmware including PackageInstallerCN, should consider this vulnerability a significant risk vector for mobile endpoint security.

1. Immediate mitigation involves restricting physical and local access to Samsung mobile devices, enforcing strong device lock policies, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts. 2. Deploy Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions that can enforce application installation policies and detect unauthorized app installations. 3. Monitor device logs and network traffic for unusual installation activities or communications indicative of silent app installations. 4. Educate users about the risks of local device access and the importance of reporting lost or stolen devices promptly. 5. Once Samsung releases patches or updated versions of PackageInstallerCN (version 15.0.11.0 or later), prioritize timely deployment across all affected devices. 6. For environments with BYOD policies, enforce strict app vetting and sandboxing to limit the impact of potential silent installations. 7. Consider disabling or restricting the use of PackageInstallerCN where feasible, or replacing it with more secure package installers if supported. 8. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of identifying anomalous installation behaviors on mobile devices. These targeted measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on device access control, monitoring, and rapid patch deployment specific to the Samsung PackageInstallerCN context.