CVE-2025-48591 is a medium-severity information disclosure vulnerability affecting Google Android versions 13, 14, and 15. The root cause is a missing permission check in multiple locations within the Android operating system, which allows a local attacker to read files belonging to other users on the same device. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization), indicating that the system fails to properly verify whether the requesting user has the appropriate permissions to access certain files. Exploitation does not require elevated privileges beyond a local user account, nor does it require any user interaction, making it easier for malicious applications or users with limited access to leverage this flaw. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality by exposing potentially sensitive data stored in user files but does not affect integrity or availability. The CVSS vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) indicates local attack vector, low complexity, low privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high confidentiality impact. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, and no official patches have been linked yet, though Google is likely to address this in upcoming security updates. The vulnerability poses a risk especially in multi-user environments or devices shared among users, where unauthorized data access could lead to privacy violations or leakage of sensitive corporate or personal information.

For European organizations, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information stored on Android devices, including corporate data, personal user data, or credentials. This is particularly concerning for sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, where data confidentiality is paramount. The ease of exploitation by local users or malicious apps without user interaction increases the risk of insider threats or malware leveraging this flaw to escalate data access. Although the vulnerability does not allow data modification or service disruption, the exposure of confidential information could facilitate further attacks such as social engineering, identity theft, or corporate espionage. Organizations relying heavily on Android devices for mobile workforce operations or BYOD policies should be aware of the risk of data leakage. The lack of patches at the time of disclosure means organizations must implement interim controls to mitigate exposure until updates are available.

1. Limit local user access on Android devices to trusted personnel only, minimizing the risk of exploitation by unauthorized users. 2. Employ Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions to enforce strict app installation policies, preventing installation of untrusted or potentially malicious applications that could exploit this vulnerability. 3. Monitor device usage and audit file access patterns to detect unusual or unauthorized attempts to access other users' files. 4. Educate users about the risks of installing unverified apps and encourage the use of official app stores only. 5. Apply security updates promptly once Google releases patches addressing CVE-2025-48591. 6. For highly sensitive environments, consider using device encryption and compartmentalization features to limit data exposure. 7. Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying suspicious local file access behaviors. 8. Review and harden Android device configurations to reduce the attack surface, including disabling unnecessary multi-user features if not required.