CVE-2025-48576 is a vulnerability identified in Google Android operating system versions 13, 14, 15, and 16. The flaw exists in the updateNotificationChannelGroupFromPrivilegedListener method of the NotificationManagerService.java component. This function is responsible for managing notification channel groups, which are used to organize notifications on Android devices. The vulnerability manifests as a resource exhaustion condition that can lead to a permanent denial of service (DoS) on the affected device. Specifically, an attacker with local access can trigger this flaw to consume critical system resources, potentially causing the NotificationManagerService to become unresponsive or crash, thereby disrupting normal notification handling and possibly other dependent services. Notably, exploitation does not require elevated privileges or user interaction, which lowers the barrier for an attacker to cause disruption. Although no exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s nature suggests it could be leveraged by malicious applications or local attackers to degrade device availability. The lack of a CVSS score indicates that the vulnerability is newly published and not yet fully assessed, but the technical details imply a significant impact on availability with moderate complexity of exploitation. The vulnerability is local, meaning remote exploitation is not feasible without prior access to the device. This flaw highlights the importance of robust resource management in critical Android system services.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-48576 is operational disruption due to denial of service on Android devices. Many enterprises rely heavily on Android smartphones and tablets for communication, authentication, and mobile workflows. A permanent DoS could render devices unusable, interrupting business processes and potentially delaying critical communications. This could be particularly problematic for sectors such as finance, healthcare, and public services where mobile device availability is crucial. Additionally, organizations with Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies may face increased risk as attackers could exploit this vulnerability via malicious apps installed by users. The lack of required privileges and user interaction means that even less sophisticated local attackers or malware could trigger the DoS condition. While confidentiality and integrity are not directly impacted, the availability degradation can lead to indirect security risks, such as delayed incident response or inability to receive security alerts. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the potential for future attacks. Overall, the vulnerability poses a significant threat to device availability and operational continuity within European enterprises.

To mitigate CVE-2025-48576, European organizations should prioritize the following actions: 1) Monitor for and promptly apply official security patches from Google as soon as they become available, as no patches are currently linked but are expected. 2) Restrict installation of untrusted or third-party applications, especially those requiring notification management permissions, to reduce risk of local exploitation. 3) Employ mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies, control app permissions, and monitor device resource usage for anomalies indicative of resource exhaustion attacks. 4) Educate users about the risks of installing unverified applications and encourage reporting of device instability. 5) Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools capable of identifying suspicious local activities that could trigger the vulnerability. 6) Consider temporary workarounds such as limiting notification channel group modifications by non-system apps if feasible. 7) Maintain regular backups and incident response plans to quickly recover from potential device outages. These targeted mitigations go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local access and resource management specific to the vulnerability context.