CVE-2025-21014 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Samsung Mobile devices, specifically related to the improper export of Android application components within the Emergency SoS feature prior to the SMR (Security Maintenance Release) August 2025 Release 1. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-926, which pertains to improper export of Android application components. This flaw allows local attackers—those with physical or local access to the device—to access sensitive information by exploiting improperly exported components that should have restricted access. The CVSS v3.1 score is 4.3, indicating a medium impact primarily on confidentiality, with no impact on integrity or availability. The attack vector is physical or local (AV:P), requires low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges (PR:N), but requires user interaction (UI:R). The scope remains unchanged (S:U). The vulnerability does not require prior authentication but does require some user interaction, such as triggering the vulnerable component. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no patches or updates have been linked yet, though the issue is addressed in the August 2025 SMR release. The vulnerability arises from Android components being improperly exported, meaning that components intended to be private or restricted are accessible to unauthorized local apps or users, potentially leaking sensitive data related to emergency services or user information stored or processed by the Emergency SoS feature.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is primarily on the confidentiality of sensitive information stored or accessible via Samsung Mobile devices used within their environment. Since the vulnerability requires local access and user interaction, remote exploitation is not feasible, limiting large-scale attacks. However, in environments where devices are shared, lost, or physically accessed by unauthorized personnel, sensitive emergency-related data could be exposed. This could include personal emergency contacts, medical information, or location data, which may have privacy and regulatory implications under GDPR. Organizations relying on Samsung Mobile devices for critical communications or emergency response may face risks of data leakage or unauthorized data access. The vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, so operational disruption is unlikely. However, the exposure of sensitive data could lead to reputational damage, compliance violations, and targeted social engineering attacks.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should: 1) Ensure that all Samsung Mobile devices are updated promptly with the SMR August 2025 Release 1 or later, which addresses this vulnerability. 2) Implement strict physical security controls to prevent unauthorized local access to devices, including device lock policies, secure storage, and user awareness training to prevent social engineering that could trigger the vulnerability. 3) Restrict the installation of untrusted or unnecessary local applications that could exploit improperly exported components. 4) Monitor device logs and usage for unusual activity that may indicate attempts to access sensitive Emergency SoS components. 5) Employ Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies, control app permissions, and remotely wipe or lock devices if compromised or lost. 6) Educate users on the risks of interacting with unknown prompts or applications that could trigger this vulnerability. 7) Review and audit emergency-related data stored on devices to minimize sensitive information exposure where possible.