CVE-2025-21453 is a high-severity use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) affecting a broad range of Qualcomm Snapdragon products, including numerous mobile platforms, modems, connectivity chips, and specialized platforms such as automotive and wearable devices. The vulnerability arises from improper memory management when processing a data structure involving iterators. Specifically, an iterator is accessed after it has been removed, leading to memory corruption. This flaw can cause failures such as crashes, data corruption, or potentially arbitrary code execution. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and requiring low privileges but no user interaction. The vulnerability affects a wide spectrum of Snapdragon versions and related Qualcomm chipsets, spanning from older models like Snapdragon 210 and 835 to the latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and various FastConnect and QCA series components. This extensive product coverage indicates a systemic flaw in the iterator handling logic within Qualcomm’s software stack. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s characteristics suggest that exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service on affected devices. Given the prevalence of Snapdragon chips in smartphones, IoT devices, automotive systems, and other embedded platforms, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to device security and stability.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-21453 is substantial due to the widespread use of Qualcomm Snapdragon chips in consumer and enterprise devices. Smartphones and tablets used by employees may be vulnerable, potentially exposing corporate data to compromise if exploited. IoT deployments in smart factories, healthcare, and critical infrastructure that rely on affected Snapdragon IoT modems and platforms could face operational disruptions or unauthorized access. Automotive systems using Snapdragon automotive platforms may experience safety risks or loss of control functions. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact means that sensitive data could be leaked or corrupted, and device availability could be compromised, affecting business continuity. The vulnerability’s low attack complexity and lack of required user interaction increase the likelihood of targeted attacks or automated exploitation once public exploits emerge. This is particularly concerning for sectors with high regulatory requirements such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure in Europe. Additionally, the diversity of affected products complicates patch management and risk mitigation efforts across heterogeneous device fleets.

1. Immediate inventory and identification of all devices and embedded systems using affected Qualcomm Snapdragon products within the organization’s environment. 2. Monitor Qualcomm’s security advisories and vendor patches closely; apply firmware and software updates as soon as they become available to remediate the use-after-free flaw. 3. For devices where patches are not yet available or cannot be applied promptly, implement network segmentation and strict access controls to limit exposure of vulnerable devices to untrusted networks. 4. Employ runtime protection mechanisms such as memory corruption mitigations (e.g., Control Flow Integrity, Address Space Layout Randomization) where supported by device firmware or operating systems. 5. Enhance monitoring for anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts, including unexpected crashes or memory corruption events on affected devices. 6. Coordinate with device manufacturers and service providers to ensure timely updates and support for vulnerable hardware. 7. For critical IoT and automotive deployments, consider fallback or isolation strategies to maintain operational safety until patches are applied. 8. Educate IT and security teams about the vulnerability’s nature and potential exploitation vectors to improve incident response readiness.