CVE-2025-48618 is a medium severity elevation of privilege vulnerability affecting Google Android versions 13 through 16. The root cause lies in the processLaunchBrowser method within CommandParamsFactory.java, where improper locking mechanisms allow browser interactions to be initiated from the device lockscreen. This flaw violates expected security boundaries by permitting an attacker with physical access to the device to escalate privileges without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-667 (Improper Locking), indicating a concurrency or synchronization issue that leads to unauthorized access. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 6.6, with vector AV:P/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, reflecting that the attack requires physical access (Physical), low attack complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no public exploits are known at this time, the vulnerability could be leveraged by attackers to launch browser-based attacks from the lockscreen, potentially bypassing authentication and executing malicious payloads or accessing sensitive data. The lack of required user interaction and the ability to escalate privileges physically make this a significant risk for devices in environments where physical security cannot be guaranteed. The absence of patches at publication time underscores the need for proactive mitigation. This vulnerability highlights the importance of robust locking and synchronization mechanisms in Android's system components to prevent unauthorized access from the lockscreen interface.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk especially for sectors relying heavily on mobile devices for sensitive operations, such as finance, healthcare, and government. An attacker with brief physical access to an unlocked or unattended device could exploit this flaw to gain elevated privileges and potentially access confidential information, manipulate data, or disrupt device availability. This could lead to data breaches, loss of intellectual property, or operational downtime. The impact is exacerbated in environments where Android devices are used for multi-factor authentication or contain corporate credentials. Additionally, the vulnerability could facilitate lateral movement within corporate networks if compromised devices are connected to internal resources. Given the medium CVSS score but high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, the threat is non-trivial and requires immediate attention to prevent exploitation. The lack of user interaction requirement means that even unattended devices are vulnerable, increasing the attack surface in public or semi-public spaces.

1. Enforce strict physical security policies to prevent unauthorized access to devices, including secure storage and controlled access in workplaces. 2. Implement device management solutions (MDM/EMM) to enforce lockscreen policies, disable unnecessary browser access from the lockscreen, and monitor device behavior for anomalies. 3. Educate users on the risks of leaving devices unattended and encourage the use of strong lockscreen authentication methods (PIN, biometric). 4. Restrict or disable browser launching capabilities from the lockscreen via custom device policies or security configurations where possible. 5. Monitor vendor communications closely and apply official patches immediately upon release to remediate the vulnerability. 6. Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting suspicious privilege escalation or browser activity on mobile devices. 7. For high-risk environments, consider limiting the use of affected Android versions until patches are available or deploying alternative secure mobile platforms. 8. Regularly audit device configurations and access logs to detect potential exploitation attempts.