CVE-2025-27031 is a high-severity use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) identified in multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms and related components, including FastConnect modules, Snapdragon compute platforms, and various WCD and WSA chipsets. The vulnerability arises from improper memory management during the processing of IOCTL (Input/Output Control) commands, specifically when a buffer used in write loopback mode is accessed after it has been freed. This use-after-free condition can lead to memory corruption, which attackers could exploit to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or cause denial of service. The vulnerability requires low privileges (PR:L) and no user interaction (UI:N) but local access (AV:L), indicating that an attacker must have some level of local access to the device to exploit it. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The affected products span a wide range of Qualcomm hardware commonly used in mobile devices, IoT, and compute platforms, making this vulnerability relevant to a broad ecosystem. No public exploits are currently known, and no patches have been linked yet, emphasizing the need for proactive mitigation and monitoring. The vulnerability was published on June 3, 2025, with the initial reservation date in February 2025.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-27031 could be significant, especially for those relying on devices and infrastructure powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon components. These include smartphones, tablets, IoT devices, and compute platforms used in enterprise environments. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of critical services, and potential lateral movement within networks. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and critical infrastructure could face operational disruptions and data breaches. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, as attackers could leverage social engineering or physical access to initiate attacks. The widespread use of affected Qualcomm components in consumer and industrial devices across Europe means that supply chain risks and endpoint security are also concerns. Additionally, the lack of available patches increases the window of exposure, necessitating immediate risk management.

1. Inventory and Identify: Conduct a thorough inventory of all devices and systems using affected Qualcomm Snapdragon components, including embedded IoT devices and compute platforms. 2. Access Control: Restrict local access to devices with affected hardware, enforcing strict physical security and limiting administrative privileges to trusted personnel only. 3. Network Segmentation: Isolate vulnerable devices on segmented networks to reduce the risk of lateral movement if exploitation occurs. 4. Monitoring and Detection: Implement enhanced monitoring for unusual IOCTL command usage or memory corruption indicators on affected devices. 5. Vendor Coordination: Engage with Qualcomm and device manufacturers to obtain patches or firmware updates as soon as they become available. 6. Patch Management: Prioritize deployment of patches once released, including firmware and driver updates. 7. Incident Response Preparedness: Update incident response plans to include scenarios involving exploitation of use-after-free vulnerabilities in embedded hardware. 8. Disable Unnecessary Features: Where possible, disable write loopback mode or related IOCTL functionalities that are not essential to device operation to reduce attack surface. 9. User Awareness: Educate users and administrators about the risks of local exploitation and the importance of physical device security.