CVE-2025-21463 is a high-severity buffer over-read vulnerability (CWE-126) affecting a wide range of Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms and associated wireless connectivity chipsets. The vulnerability arises during the processing of the Extremely High Throughput (EHT) operation Information Element (IE) within received beacon frames in Wi-Fi communications. Specifically, a crafted beacon frame containing a malicious EHT operation IE can trigger a transient Denial of Service (DoS) condition by causing the affected device's firmware or driver to read beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This buffer over-read does not directly compromise confidentiality or integrity but leads to a disruption in service availability. The vulnerability is notable for its broad impact across numerous Qualcomm products, including mobile platforms (e.g., Snapdragon 8 Gen 2/3, Snapdragon AR platforms), modem-RF systems, IoT and embedded platforms (e.g., Immersive Home series, IPQ series), automotive platforms, and various wireless connectivity modules (e.g., FastConnect, QCA, QCN, WCN series). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), no impact on confidentiality or integrity (C:N/I:N), but high impact on availability (A:H). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability was reserved in December 2024 and published in June 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure. Exploitation involves sending specially crafted Wi-Fi beacon frames to vulnerable devices, which can cause temporary service disruption, potentially affecting wireless connectivity and dependent applications.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-21463 can be significant due to the widespread use of Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets in mobile devices, IoT equipment, automotive systems, and enterprise wireless infrastructure. A successful exploitation could lead to transient denial of service conditions, disrupting wireless network availability. This can affect critical business operations relying on Wi-Fi connectivity, including remote work, cloud access, and IoT device communications. In sectors such as manufacturing, healthcare, automotive, and telecommunications, where Qualcomm platforms are embedded in operational technology and communication devices, service interruptions could lead to operational delays, safety risks, or degraded user experience. Although the vulnerability does not allow data leakage or code execution, repeated or targeted DoS attacks could be leveraged as part of broader multi-vector attacks, increasing the risk profile. The lack of required privileges or user interaction lowers the barrier for attackers, potentially enabling remote exploitation from within Wi-Fi range. Given the increasing reliance on wireless connectivity in European smart cities, industrial automation, and connected vehicles, this vulnerability poses a tangible risk to availability and operational continuity.

Mitigation should focus on a multi-layered approach: 1) Immediate network-level controls: Deploy wireless intrusion detection/prevention systems (WIDS/WIPS) capable of detecting and blocking malformed beacon frames or anomalous EHT IE patterns to prevent exploitation attempts. 2) Firmware and driver updates: Monitor Qualcomm and device vendor advisories closely and apply patches promptly once available. Given the broad product range affected, prioritize critical infrastructure and high-risk devices. 3) Network segmentation: Isolate vulnerable wireless devices and critical systems on segmented networks to limit the blast radius of potential DoS attacks. 4) Device hardening: Disable or restrict Wi-Fi features that are not in use, particularly those related to EHT operations, if configurable. 5) Incident response readiness: Prepare for potential transient connectivity disruptions by implementing failover mechanisms and maintaining communication alternatives. 6) Vendor engagement: Engage with device manufacturers and service providers to confirm patch availability and deployment timelines. 7) Awareness and training: Educate IT and security teams about the nature of this vulnerability and signs of exploitation attempts to enable rapid detection and response.