CVE-2025-27048 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-822 (Untrusted Pointer Dereference) found in Qualcomm Snapdragon chipsets, specifically impacting the camera platform driver’s handling of IOCTL calls. The vulnerability arises when the driver processes IOCTL requests, leading to memory corruption due to dereferencing pointers that are not properly validated. This can cause arbitrary code execution, privilege escalation, or denial of service on affected devices. The affected products include a range of Qualcomm FastConnect modules (6900, 7800), audio codecs (WCD9378C, WCD9380, WCD9385), wireless sound amplifiers (WSA8840, WSA8845, WSA8845H), and other chipset variants (X2000077, X2000086, X2000090, X2000092, X2000094, XG101002, XG101032, XG101039). The vulnerability requires local access with low privileges and does not require user interaction, making exploitation feasible in scenarios where an attacker has some level of device access, such as through a compromised app or local user account. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 indicates high severity, with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No public patches or exploits are currently available, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be addressed promptly. The flaw could be leveraged to gain elevated privileges or execute arbitrary code within the kernel context, severely compromising device security.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant threat to the security of mobile devices and embedded systems using affected Qualcomm Snapdragon components. Potential impacts include unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of device functionality, and the possibility of persistent compromise through privilege escalation. Telecommunications providers, enterprises with mobile workforces, and IoT deployments relying on these chipsets could face operational disruptions and data breaches. The vulnerability could also undermine trust in mobile communications and device integrity, affecting sectors like finance, healthcare, and government that depend on secure mobile platforms. Given the widespread use of Qualcomm Snapdragon in smartphones and connected devices, the attack surface is broad, and exploitation could lead to large-scale impacts if leveraged in targeted attacks or malware campaigns.

Organizations should prioritize monitoring for updates from Qualcomm and device manufacturers to apply patches as soon as they become available. Until patches are released, restricting access to the vulnerable IOCTL interfaces is critical; this can be achieved by enforcing strict access controls and sandboxing applications that interact with camera drivers. Employing mobile device management (MDM) solutions to control app permissions and prevent installation of untrusted software can reduce exploitation risk. Regular security audits and behavioral monitoring on devices can help detect anomalous activities indicative of exploitation attempts. For enterprise environments, segmenting networks and limiting local access to devices can further reduce attack vectors. Collaboration with device vendors to accelerate patch deployment and user awareness campaigns about the risks of installing untrusted applications are also recommended.