CVE-2025-20984 is a vulnerability identified in Samsung Mobile Devices, specifically affecting the Samsung Cloud service for Galaxy Watch devices prior to the SMR (Security Maintenance Release) June 2025 Release 1. The root cause of this vulnerability is incorrect default permissions (CWE-276), which allow local attackers to access data stored in Samsung Cloud for Galaxy Watch. The vulnerability does not require any user interaction or privileges (AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N), meaning an attacker with local access to the device can exploit this flaw without authentication. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.8, indicating a medium severity level. The impact on confidentiality is low, but the integrity impact is high, with no effect on availability. This suggests that while the attacker may have limited ability to read some data, they could potentially modify or corrupt data within the Samsung Cloud service for the Galaxy Watch. The vulnerability is limited to local attack vectors, so remote exploitation is not possible without prior local access. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or mitigation links have been published yet. The vulnerability was reserved in November 2024 and published in June 2025, indicating a recent discovery and disclosure. The issue arises from improper permission settings that grant excessive access rights by default, which is a common security misconfiguration problem. This could lead to unauthorized data manipulation or leakage if an attacker gains physical or local access to the affected device.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-20984 depends largely on the use of Samsung Galaxy Watch devices integrated with Samsung Cloud services within their operational environments. Organizations that deploy Galaxy Watches for workforce management, health monitoring, or secure communications could face risks related to data integrity and confidentiality. Although the attack requires local access, insider threats or attackers who gain physical access to devices could exploit this vulnerability to manipulate or access sensitive data stored in Samsung Cloud. This could lead to data breaches, loss of trust, and potential regulatory non-compliance under GDPR if personal or sensitive data is involved. The integrity impact is particularly concerning for organizations relying on accurate and unaltered data from wearable devices for decision-making or compliance reporting. However, the lack of remote exploitability limits the threat scope to scenarios involving physical device access, reducing the risk of widespread automated attacks. The absence of known exploits in the wild further reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the need for vigilance and timely patching once available.

1. Physical Security: Strengthen physical security controls to prevent unauthorized local access to Samsung Galaxy Watch devices, including secure storage and access policies. 2. Device Management: Implement Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions that can enforce security policies, monitor device status, and remotely wipe or lock devices if lost or stolen. 3. Access Controls: Review and restrict permissions on Samsung Cloud accounts linked to Galaxy Watches, limiting data exposure and modification capabilities. 4. Patch Management: Monitor Samsung’s security advisories closely and apply the SMR June 2025 Release 1 or subsequent patches as soon as they become available to remediate the incorrect default permissions. 5. User Awareness: Educate users about the risks of leaving devices unattended and the importance of securing wearable devices that sync with cloud services. 6. Data Encryption: Where possible, ensure that data stored in Samsung Cloud is encrypted and that encryption keys are managed securely to mitigate unauthorized data access. 7. Audit and Monitoring: Enable logging and monitoring of access to Samsung Cloud data and Galaxy Watch devices to detect suspicious activities indicative of exploitation attempts.