CVE-2025-48601 is a vulnerability identified in multiple locations within Google Android versions 13, 14, 15, and 16, characterized by improper input validation (CWE-20). This flaw can lead to a permanent denial of service (DoS) condition, which in turn facilitates a local elevation of privilege (EoP) without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. The vulnerability allows an attacker with low-level local privileges to exploit the input validation weakness to disrupt system availability permanently and escalate their privileges on the device. The CVSS v3.1 score is 5.5 (medium), reflecting the local attack vector (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and impact limited to availability (A:H) without affecting confidentiality or integrity. No patches have been linked yet, and no known exploits are reported in the wild. The vulnerability's root cause lies in insufficient validation of input data in multiple code paths, which can be manipulated to trigger system instability or crashes, leading to DoS and privilege escalation. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it does not require user interaction, making automated or stealthy exploitation feasible once local access is obtained. The lack of known exploits suggests it is either newly discovered or not yet weaponized, but the potential impact on device stability and security is significant.

For European organizations, the vulnerability poses a risk primarily to mobile devices running affected Android versions (13-16), which are widely used across enterprises and by employees for business communications and operations. The permanent denial of service could disrupt critical mobile applications, impacting productivity and operational continuity. The local elevation of privilege could allow attackers to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, or install persistent malware, increasing the risk of data breaches and espionage. Given the medium CVSS score, the threat is moderate but non-negligible, especially in environments where mobile devices are integral to business processes. The absence of required user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation once local access is gained, which could occur through physical access or via other compromised applications. This vulnerability could be exploited by insider threats or attackers who have already compromised lower-privileged accounts. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is rated low, but availability and device control are significantly affected, which can indirectly lead to broader security incidents. Organizations in sectors with high mobile dependency, such as finance, healthcare, and government, may face elevated risks.

To mitigate CVE-2025-48601, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Enforce strict local device access controls, including strong authentication and device encryption, to prevent unauthorized local access. 2) Monitor device logs and behavior for signs of abnormal crashes or privilege escalations that could indicate exploitation attempts. 3) Restrict installation of untrusted or unnecessary applications that could be used as vectors to gain local access. 4) Educate users about physical device security to reduce risks of local exploitation. 5) Deploy mobile device management (MDM) solutions to enforce security policies and remotely manage affected devices. 6) Prepare for prompt deployment of official patches from Google once released, including testing and staged rollouts to minimize operational disruption. 7) Consider network segmentation and limiting sensitive data access from mobile devices until patches are applied. 8) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on mobile device security to identify potential exploitation paths. These measures go beyond generic advice by focusing on local access prevention, monitoring, and proactive patch management tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.