CVE-2025-27049 is a buffer over-read vulnerability categorized under CWE-126 found in multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms and associated hardware components. The flaw arises when processing an IOCTL (Input/Output Control) call related to image encoding functions, which can cause the system to read beyond the intended buffer boundaries. This results in a transient denial of service (DoS) condition, where the device or platform may crash or become temporarily unresponsive. The vulnerability requires low-level privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N), indicating that an attacker with limited local access could trigger the issue. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.5 (medium severity), reflecting the moderate impact on availability without compromising confidentiality or integrity. Affected products include a wide range of Qualcomm hardware such as FastConnect 6700/6900/7800, Snapdragon 7c+ Gen 3 Compute, Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 Compute, various QCM and QCS series chipsets, and wireless audio components (WCD and WSA series). These platforms are commonly embedded in smartphones, tablets, laptops, IoT devices, and wireless peripherals. The vulnerability does not currently have known exploits in the wild, but the broad product impact and potential for service disruption make it a concern. Qualcomm has not yet published patches, so mitigation currently relies on limiting access to vulnerable IOCTL interfaces and monitoring device stability.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-27049 is the potential for transient denial of service conditions on devices using affected Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms. This can lead to temporary system crashes or unavailability of critical functions, particularly in telecommunications infrastructure, mobile devices, and embedded systems used in enterprise environments. While confidentiality and integrity are not directly compromised, the disruption of availability can affect business operations, especially in sectors relying on real-time communications, remote work, or IoT deployments. The widespread use of Qualcomm chipsets in consumer and industrial devices across Europe means that service providers, enterprises, and government agencies could experience interruptions. Additionally, the requirement for low privileges but local access suggests insider threats or compromised devices could exploit this vulnerability. The lack of current exploits reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat of future attacks once exploit code becomes available.

1. Monitor Qualcomm’s security advisories closely and apply official patches immediately upon release to affected devices and platforms. 2. Restrict access to IOCTL interfaces related to image encoding functions to trusted processes and users only, using access control mechanisms and device hardening. 3. Implement endpoint protection and behavior monitoring to detect anomalous crashes or device instability that may indicate exploitation attempts. 4. For enterprise-managed devices, enforce strict privilege separation and limit local user privileges to reduce the risk of exploitation. 5. Employ network segmentation and device isolation for critical infrastructure to contain potential DoS impacts. 6. Coordinate with device manufacturers and service providers to ensure firmware and driver updates incorporate the fix. 7. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on device drivers and kernel interfaces to identify similar vulnerabilities proactively.