CVE-2025-27050 is a high-severity use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) affecting multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms and related components. The vulnerability arises from improper memory management during the processing of an event close when a client process terminates abruptly. Specifically, when the client process ends unexpectedly, the system attempts to free or access memory that has already been freed, leading to memory corruption. This flaw exists in a wide range of Qualcomm products, including various FastConnect modules (6200 through 7800 series), Snapdragon compute platforms (7c, 8c, 8cx series), Qualcomm Video Collaboration VC3 Platform, and multiple WCD and WSA audio components. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8, indicating high severity, with the vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. This means the attack requires local access with low complexity, low privileges, and no user interaction, but can result in high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Exploitation could allow an attacker with local access to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or cause denial of service by corrupting memory. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the broad range of affected devices and the critical nature of the flaw make it a significant risk. The vulnerability’s root cause is a use-after-free condition triggered during event closure handling, which could be exploited by malicious local applications or processes that terminate unexpectedly, potentially leading to system compromise or instability.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk, especially those relying on devices powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms. These platforms are prevalent in mobile devices, IoT devices, and compute platforms used in enterprise and industrial environments. The potential impacts include unauthorized access to sensitive data (confidentiality breach), unauthorized modification or corruption of data (integrity breach), and service disruption or device crashes (availability impact). Given the vulnerability requires local access and low privileges, it could be exploited by malicious insiders, compromised applications, or through physical access to devices. This is particularly concerning for sectors with high security requirements such as finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and critical infrastructure. The widespread use of affected Snapdragon variants in smartphones and edge devices means that endpoint security could be compromised, leading to lateral movement within networks or data exfiltration. Additionally, the vulnerability could undermine trust in mobile and IoT devices used in operational technology environments, potentially affecting supply chains and industrial control systems.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should: 1) Prioritize patching and firmware updates from Qualcomm and device manufacturers as soon as they become available, ensuring all affected Snapdragon platforms and components are updated. 2) Implement strict application whitelisting and privilege restrictions to limit the ability of untrusted or low-privilege processes to execute or terminate abruptly, reducing the attack surface. 3) Employ runtime memory protection technologies such as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) and Control Flow Integrity (CFI) where supported by the platform to hinder exploitation of use-after-free conditions. 4) Monitor device behavior for abnormal process terminations or crashes that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5) Enforce strong endpoint security controls, including local access restrictions and device encryption, to prevent unauthorized local access. 6) For critical environments, consider network segmentation to isolate vulnerable devices and limit potential lateral movement. 7) Engage with device vendors to confirm patch availability and deployment timelines, and maintain an inventory of affected devices to prioritize remediation efforts.