CVE-2025-21488 is a high-severity buffer over-read vulnerability (CWE-126) affecting a broad range of Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms and associated wireless connectivity modules. The flaw occurs during the decoding of RTP (Real-time Transport Protocol) packet headers received by the User Equipment (UE) from the network when the padding bit in the RTP header is set. Specifically, the vulnerability leads to an out-of-bounds read of memory buffers, which can result in information disclosure. This means that an attacker capable of sending specially crafted RTP packets to a vulnerable device can cause it to leak sensitive memory contents. The affected products include numerous Snapdragon mobile platforms (from Snapdragon 4 Gen 1 through Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2), FastConnect wireless subsystems, automotive platforms, wearable platforms, video collaboration platforms, and a wide array of Qualcomm wireless connectivity chips (WCD and WCN series). The vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction to exploit and can be triggered remotely over the network (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.2, reflecting a high impact on confidentiality with limited impact on availability and no impact on integrity. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability's root cause is a failure to properly validate or handle the RTP padding bit, leading to buffer over-read during RTP header parsing. This can expose sensitive data residing in memory buffers, potentially including cryptographic keys, user data, or other sensitive runtime information. Given the ubiquity of Snapdragon chipsets in mobile devices, IoT, automotive, and wearable devices, the attack surface is extensive. The vulnerability affects devices that process RTP streams, which are commonly used in VoIP, video conferencing, and multimedia streaming applications. Attackers could leverage this flaw to gather intelligence or conduct further targeted attacks based on leaked information.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-21488 is significant due to the widespread use of Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets in smartphones, tablets, automotive infotainment systems, and IoT devices. Confidentiality breaches could expose sensitive corporate communications, user credentials, or proprietary data transmitted over RTP-based services such as VoIP calls and video conferences. This is particularly critical for sectors relying heavily on secure communications, including finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure. The vulnerability's remote and unauthenticated exploitability increases the risk of large-scale reconnaissance or targeted espionage campaigns. Additionally, automotive platforms affected by this vulnerability could lead to exposure of sensitive vehicle data or driver information, raising privacy and safety concerns. The lack of known exploits in the wild currently limits immediate risk, but the broad device base and ease of exploitation mean that threat actors may develop exploits rapidly once patches are unavailable. The potential for information leakage could also aid attackers in crafting subsequent attacks, such as privilege escalation or network intrusion, amplifying the threat to European enterprises and consumers.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on network-level controls: deploy RTP traffic inspection and filtering to detect and block malformed RTP packets with suspicious padding bits, especially from untrusted or external sources. 2. Collaborate with device manufacturers and Qualcomm to obtain and apply firmware and software patches as soon as they become available. Prioritize patching for devices used in critical infrastructure and enterprise environments. 3. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring unusual RTP traffic patterns or memory access anomalies indicative of exploitation attempts. 4. For organizations using VoIP or video conferencing solutions on Snapdragon-based devices, consider temporary use of alternative communication channels or platforms that do not rely on vulnerable RTP implementations until patches are deployed. 5. Implement strict network segmentation to isolate vulnerable devices and limit exposure to untrusted networks. 6. Educate security teams about this vulnerability to enhance monitoring for indicators of compromise related to RTP traffic anomalies. 7. Engage in threat intelligence sharing with industry peers and CERTs to stay informed about emerging exploit techniques and mitigation strategies.