CVE-2025-21048 is a relative path traversal vulnerability categorized under CWE-23, affecting Samsung Mobile Devices running Knox Enterprise software versions prior to the SMR October 2025 Release 1. This vulnerability allows a local attacker with high privileges to manipulate file paths improperly, enabling them to access or overwrite arbitrary files outside the intended directory structure. By exploiting this flaw, an attacker can execute arbitrary code on the device, potentially gaining control over sensitive enterprise data or device functionality. The vulnerability requires local access and high privilege levels, meaning the attacker must already have significant access to the device, such as through a compromised user account or insider threat. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H) reflects that the attack vector is local, with low attack complexity, requiring high privileges, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no public exploits have been reported, the potential for severe damage exists, especially in enterprise environments where Knox is used to manage sensitive corporate data and device security. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of file paths, allowing traversal sequences (e.g., ../) to escape restricted directories. This can lead to overwriting critical files or injecting malicious code, undermining device security and enterprise trust.

For European organizations, the exploitation of CVE-2025-21048 could lead to significant breaches of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of enterprise mobile devices. Attackers could execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to data theft, unauthorized access to corporate networks, or disruption of mobile device management. This is particularly critical for sectors relying heavily on mobile security, such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies. The local attack requirement limits remote exploitation but raises concerns about insider threats or malware that has already gained local access. The impact extends to compliance risks under GDPR if personal or sensitive data is compromised. Furthermore, disruption of Knox Enterprise functionality could impair device management and security policies, increasing the attack surface for further exploitation. Organizations with large deployments of Samsung devices using Knox Enterprise are at higher risk of operational and reputational damage.

European organizations should prioritize the following mitigations: 1) Apply the SMR October 2025 Release 1 patch from Samsung as soon as it becomes available to remediate the vulnerability. 2) Restrict local access to Samsung devices, enforcing strict privilege management and limiting administrative rights to trusted personnel only. 3) Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for suspicious file system activities indicative of path traversal attempts or unauthorized code execution. 4) Conduct regular audits of device configurations and installed applications to detect potential privilege escalations or unauthorized modifications. 5) Educate users and administrators about the risks of local privilege misuse and enforce strong authentication mechanisms to reduce insider threat risks. 6) Integrate Knox Enterprise security logs with centralized security information and event management (SIEM) systems for real-time alerting and incident response. 7) Consider network segmentation and mobile device management policies that limit the exposure of critical enterprise resources to compromised devices.