CVE-2025-21019 is a medium-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-285 (Improper Authorization) affecting Samsung Health, a widely used health and fitness application on Samsung Mobile devices. The flaw exists in versions prior to 6.30.1.003 and allows a local attacker to access sensitive data stored within the Samsung Health app without proper authorization checks. The vulnerability requires user interaction to be triggered, indicating that an attacker must convince the user to perform some action, such as opening a malicious file or link, or interacting with a crafted app or notification. The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.5 reflects that the attack vector is local (AV:L), with low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but user interaction is necessary (UI:R). The impact is primarily on confidentiality (C:H), with no impact on integrity or availability. This suggests that an attacker can read sensitive health data but cannot modify or disrupt the app’s operation. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no patches are linked yet, indicating that the vulnerability may be recently disclosed or under remediation. The improper authorization likely stems from insufficient access control mechanisms within the app’s data handling or API calls, allowing unauthorized local processes or apps to bypass intended restrictions and extract user health information.

For European organizations, especially those in healthcare, insurance, and employee wellness sectors, this vulnerability poses a risk to the confidentiality of sensitive personal health data. Samsung Health is popular among consumers and employees using Samsung devices, and unauthorized data access could lead to privacy violations, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR), and reputational damage. Although the attack requires local access and user interaction, insider threats or malware on compromised devices could exploit this flaw to harvest health data. This could facilitate identity theft, targeted phishing, or discrimination based on health conditions. Organizations relying on Samsung devices for workforce health monitoring or telemedicine should be aware of potential data leakage risks. The lack of integrity and availability impact limits the threat to data exposure rather than system disruption, but the sensitivity of health data elevates the concern. The absence of known exploits suggests a window for proactive mitigation before widespread abuse occurs.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should: 1) Ensure all Samsung Health app instances are updated to version 6.30.1.003 or later as soon as the patch becomes available. 2) Implement strict mobile device management (MDM) policies that restrict installation of untrusted applications and enforce app permission controls to minimize local attack surface. 3) Educate users about the risks of interacting with suspicious links or files that could trigger the vulnerability. 4) Monitor devices for unusual local activity or unauthorized access attempts to Samsung Health data. 5) Where feasible, limit the use of Samsung Health on corporate devices or segregate sensitive health data from devices that cannot be fully controlled. 6) Collaborate with Samsung support channels to receive timely updates and advisories. 7) Conduct regular audits of health data access logs to detect anomalies. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on user interaction risks, local access controls, and organizational policy adjustments tailored to this vulnerability’s characteristics.