CVE-2025-21445 is a high-severity buffer overflow vulnerability classified under CWE-120, affecting multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, including models such as QAM8255P, SA9000P, and SRV1M among others. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of memory during the copying of data to a transmission queue shared between a virtual machine and the host environment. Specifically, the flaw is a classic buffer overflow caused by copying input data without verifying its size, leading to memory corruption. This can result in arbitrary code execution, privilege escalation, or denial of service. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8, indicating high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The attack vector is local (AV:L), requiring low attack complexity (AC:L) and low privileges (PR:L), but no user interaction (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is confined to the vulnerable component. Exploitation could allow an attacker with limited privileges on the device to execute arbitrary code or disrupt system operations by corrupting memory in the transmission queue shared between the virtual machine and host. Although no known exploits are currently in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and affected platforms make it a significant risk, especially as Snapdragon chipsets are widely used in mobile devices, embedded systems, and IoT devices. The absence of patch links suggests that fixes may still be pending or in development, emphasizing the need for vigilance and mitigation.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-21445 is substantial due to the widespread use of Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets in smartphones, tablets, and embedded devices integral to business operations and communications. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of critical services, and potential compromise of device integrity. Industries relying on mobile communications, such as finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, could face operational disruptions and data breaches. The vulnerability's local attack vector implies that attackers would need some level of access to the device, which could be achieved through physical access or via other compromised components. Given the integration of Snapdragon chipsets in many consumer and enterprise devices, successful exploitation could facilitate lateral movement within corporate networks or enable persistent footholds. Additionally, embedded systems using these chipsets in industrial control or critical infrastructure could face safety and availability risks. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts underscore the need for immediate attention by European organizations to prevent potential exploitation and associated damages.

1. Immediate inventory and identification of all devices using affected Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets within the organization, including mobile devices, embedded systems, and IoT devices. 2. Monitor Qualcomm and device manufacturers for official patches or firmware updates addressing CVE-2025-21445 and apply them promptly once available. 3. Implement strict access controls to limit local access to devices, reducing the risk of exploitation by unauthorized users. 4. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior indicative of buffer overflow exploitation or memory corruption. 5. For virtualized environments sharing transmission queues, isolate virtual machines and hosts more rigorously to prevent cross-VM attacks. 6. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on local privilege escalation and memory corruption vulnerabilities. 7. Educate users and administrators about the risks of local exploitation and enforce policies to minimize exposure, such as disabling unnecessary services or interfaces that could provide local access. 8. Utilize application whitelisting and sandboxing techniques to limit the execution of untrusted code that could leverage this vulnerability. These measures go beyond generic patching advice by emphasizing device inventory, access control, monitoring, and virtualization isolation tailored to the nature of the vulnerability.