CVE-2025-21425 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) affecting the High Assurance Boot (HAB) process in Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets. The HAB process is critical for establishing a trusted boot environment by verifying the integrity and authenticity of firmware before execution. The improper access control flaw allows an attacker with low-level privileges to trigger memory corruption within the HAB process. This memory corruption can lead to unauthorized code execution or privilege escalation, compromising the confidentiality and integrity of the device's secure boot chain. The vulnerability affects numerous Snapdragon variants, including QAM8255P, QAM8295P, QAM8620P, QAM8650P, QAM8775P, QAMSRV1H, QAMSRV1M, QCA6574AU, QCA6595, QCA6595AU, QCA6688AQ, QCA6696, QCA6698AQ, SA6145P, SA6150P, SA6155P, SA7255P, SA7775P, SA8145P, SA8150P, SA8155P, SA8195P, SA8255P, SA8295P, SA8540P, SA8620P, SA8650P, SA8770P, SA8775P, SA9000P, SRV1H, SRV1L, and SRV1M. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.3, indicating high severity, with attack vector local, low attack complexity, requiring privileges but no user interaction. The scope is unchanged, but the impact on confidentiality and integrity is high, with a low impact on availability. No patches or exploits in the wild are currently reported, but the vulnerability's nature suggests potential for serious exploitation if weaponized. The HAB process's role in secure boot makes this vulnerability critical for device trustworthiness and security.

The vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access and control over the secure boot process, undermining device integrity and confidentiality. Attackers could execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially bypassing security controls and gaining persistent access. This compromises the trust model of devices relying on Snapdragon chipsets, including smartphones, IoT devices, automotive systems, and embedded platforms. The breach of secure boot can facilitate the installation of persistent malware, firmware tampering, and extraction of sensitive data. Although availability impact is low, the loss of confidentiality and integrity can have severe consequences for user privacy, corporate security, and national security, especially in critical infrastructure and communication devices. The broad range of affected Snapdragon versions means a large number of devices globally are at risk, increasing the potential attack surface for threat actors.

Qualcomm and device manufacturers must prioritize releasing and deploying firmware patches that correct the improper access control in the HAB process. Until patches are available, organizations should enforce strict local access controls to limit the ability of unprivileged users to interact with the HAB process or related components. Employ hardware-based security features such as Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) and secure boot verification to detect unauthorized modifications. Regularly audit device logs and monitor for anomalous local activity indicative of exploitation attempts. For critical deployments, consider network segmentation and endpoint protection solutions that can detect and block suspicious behavior. Vendors should also provide clear guidance and tools for secure firmware updates to ensure timely patching. End users should be educated to apply updates promptly and avoid installing untrusted software that could exploit this vulnerability.