CVE-2025-52883: CWE-1287: Improper Validation of Specified Type of Input in meshtastic Meshtastic-Android
Meshtastic-Android is an Android application for the mesh radio software Meshtastic. Prior to version 2.5.21, an attacker is able to send an unencrypted direct message to a victim impersonating any other node of the mesh. This message will be displayed in the same chat that the victim normally communicates with the other node and it will appear as using PKC, while it is not. This means that the victim will be provided with a false sense of security due to the green padlock displayed when using PKC and they'll read the attacker's message as legitimate. Version 2.5.21 contains a patch for the issue. It is suggested to implement a stricter control on whether a message has been received using PKC or using the shared Meshtastic channel key. Moreover, instead of showing no green padlock icon in the chat with no PKC, consider using an explicit indicator like, for example, the yellow half-open padlock displayed when in HAM mode. This remediation, however, applies to the client applications rather than the Meshtastic firmware.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2025-52883 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Meshtastic-Android versions prior to 2.5.21. Meshtastic-Android is an application used to interface with the Meshtastic mesh radio network, which enables decentralized communication over radio frequencies. The vulnerability arises from improper validation of the type of input messages received by the client application. Specifically, an attacker can send an unencrypted direct message to a victim device while impersonating any other node on the mesh network. This malicious message is displayed within the victim's chat interface as if it originated from the impersonated node and is falsely indicated as being secured with Public Key Cryptography (PKC) by showing a green padlock icon. However, the message is not actually encrypted with PKC, misleading the victim into a false sense of security and potentially causing them to trust and act on malicious content. The root cause is the client application's failure to strictly verify whether a message was received using PKC or the shared channel key, allowing unencrypted messages to masquerade as encrypted ones. The vulnerability does not affect the Meshtastic firmware itself but resides in the client-side application. The patch introduced in version 2.5.21 addresses this by enforcing stricter validation of message encryption status and suggests improving the user interface to explicitly indicate when messages are not PKC-encrypted, for example, by using a yellow half-open padlock icon to denote HAM mode (unencrypted or less secure communication). The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3, reflecting medium severity, with an attack vector of network, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and impact limited to integrity (message authenticity) without affecting confidentiality or availability. No known exploits are reported in the wild at this time.
Potential Impact
For European organizations using Meshtastic-Android, particularly those relying on mesh radio communications for critical or sensitive operations (such as emergency services, outdoor teams, or remote field operations), this vulnerability can undermine trust in message authenticity. An attacker could impersonate trusted nodes and inject misleading or malicious messages, potentially causing operational confusion, misinformation, or manipulation of decision-making processes. Although confidentiality is not directly compromised, the integrity of communications is at risk, which can be critical in scenarios where message authenticity is paramount. The false indication of PKC encryption exacerbates the risk by deceiving users into trusting unencrypted messages. This could lead to social engineering attacks, misinformation dissemination, or disruption of coordinated activities. The impact is more pronounced in environments where mesh radio is a primary communication method and where users may not have alternative secure channels. However, since the vulnerability requires network access to the mesh and no known exploits exist yet, the immediate risk is moderate but should be addressed promptly to prevent future exploitation.
Mitigation Recommendations
European organizations should ensure all Meshtastic-Android clients are updated to version 2.5.21 or later to apply the patch that enforces stricter validation of message encryption status. Beyond updating, organizations should audit their mesh network configurations to limit unauthorized access and monitor for anomalous node behavior or unexpected messages. Training users to recognize the significance of encryption indicators and to report suspicious messages can reduce the risk of social engineering. Developers and administrators should advocate for or implement UI improvements that clearly differentiate between encrypted and unencrypted messages, such as the recommended yellow half-open padlock icon for unencrypted HAM mode communications, to avoid false security cues. Additionally, organizations should consider supplementing mesh communications with out-of-band verification methods for critical messages and implement logging and alerting mechanisms to detect potential impersonation attempts. Since the vulnerability is client-side, reviewing and hardening client application security policies and permissions can further reduce attack surface.
Affected Countries
Germany, France, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Poland
CVE-2025-52883: CWE-1287: Improper Validation of Specified Type of Input in meshtastic Meshtastic-Android
Description
Meshtastic-Android is an Android application for the mesh radio software Meshtastic. Prior to version 2.5.21, an attacker is able to send an unencrypted direct message to a victim impersonating any other node of the mesh. This message will be displayed in the same chat that the victim normally communicates with the other node and it will appear as using PKC, while it is not. This means that the victim will be provided with a false sense of security due to the green padlock displayed when using PKC and they'll read the attacker's message as legitimate. Version 2.5.21 contains a patch for the issue. It is suggested to implement a stricter control on whether a message has been received using PKC or using the shared Meshtastic channel key. Moreover, instead of showing no green padlock icon in the chat with no PKC, consider using an explicit indicator like, for example, the yellow half-open padlock displayed when in HAM mode. This remediation, however, applies to the client applications rather than the Meshtastic firmware.
AI-Powered Analysis
Technical Analysis
CVE-2025-52883 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Meshtastic-Android versions prior to 2.5.21. Meshtastic-Android is an application used to interface with the Meshtastic mesh radio network, which enables decentralized communication over radio frequencies. The vulnerability arises from improper validation of the type of input messages received by the client application. Specifically, an attacker can send an unencrypted direct message to a victim device while impersonating any other node on the mesh network. This malicious message is displayed within the victim's chat interface as if it originated from the impersonated node and is falsely indicated as being secured with Public Key Cryptography (PKC) by showing a green padlock icon. However, the message is not actually encrypted with PKC, misleading the victim into a false sense of security and potentially causing them to trust and act on malicious content. The root cause is the client application's failure to strictly verify whether a message was received using PKC or the shared channel key, allowing unencrypted messages to masquerade as encrypted ones. The vulnerability does not affect the Meshtastic firmware itself but resides in the client-side application. The patch introduced in version 2.5.21 addresses this by enforcing stricter validation of message encryption status and suggests improving the user interface to explicitly indicate when messages are not PKC-encrypted, for example, by using a yellow half-open padlock icon to denote HAM mode (unencrypted or less secure communication). The CVSS 3.1 base score is 5.3, reflecting medium severity, with an attack vector of network, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and impact limited to integrity (message authenticity) without affecting confidentiality or availability. No known exploits are reported in the wild at this time.
Potential Impact
For European organizations using Meshtastic-Android, particularly those relying on mesh radio communications for critical or sensitive operations (such as emergency services, outdoor teams, or remote field operations), this vulnerability can undermine trust in message authenticity. An attacker could impersonate trusted nodes and inject misleading or malicious messages, potentially causing operational confusion, misinformation, or manipulation of decision-making processes. Although confidentiality is not directly compromised, the integrity of communications is at risk, which can be critical in scenarios where message authenticity is paramount. The false indication of PKC encryption exacerbates the risk by deceiving users into trusting unencrypted messages. This could lead to social engineering attacks, misinformation dissemination, or disruption of coordinated activities. The impact is more pronounced in environments where mesh radio is a primary communication method and where users may not have alternative secure channels. However, since the vulnerability requires network access to the mesh and no known exploits exist yet, the immediate risk is moderate but should be addressed promptly to prevent future exploitation.
Mitigation Recommendations
European organizations should ensure all Meshtastic-Android clients are updated to version 2.5.21 or later to apply the patch that enforces stricter validation of message encryption status. Beyond updating, organizations should audit their mesh network configurations to limit unauthorized access and monitor for anomalous node behavior or unexpected messages. Training users to recognize the significance of encryption indicators and to report suspicious messages can reduce the risk of social engineering. Developers and administrators should advocate for or implement UI improvements that clearly differentiate between encrypted and unencrypted messages, such as the recommended yellow half-open padlock icon for unencrypted HAM mode communications, to avoid false security cues. Additionally, organizations should consider supplementing mesh communications with out-of-band verification methods for critical messages and implement logging and alerting mechanisms to detect potential impersonation attempts. Since the vulnerability is client-side, reviewing and hardening client application security policies and permissions can further reduce attack surface.
Affected Countries
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Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.1
- Assigner Short Name
- GitHub_M
- Date Reserved
- 2025-06-20T17:42:25.708Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 685b0bc766faf0c1de3b1309
Added to database: 6/24/2025, 8:34:15 PM
Last enriched: 6/24/2025, 8:49:34 PM
Last updated: 8/17/2025, 6:35:00 PM
Views: 48
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HighActions
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