CVE-2025-27054 Overview
CVE-2025-27054 is a memory corruption vulnerability affecting a wide range of Qualcomm chipsets and firmware components. The flaw occurs during reboot when the system processes a malformed license file. The vulnerability is tracked under CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write) and requires local access with low privileges to exploit.
Qualcomm published details in the October 2025 Security Bulletin, which covers hundreds of affected Snapdragon, FastConnect, and modem components deployed across mobile, automotive, IoT, and compute platforms.
Critical Impact
Successful exploitation can lead to memory corruption with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability on affected Qualcomm devices.
Affected Products
- Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile platforms (Snapdragon 4/6/7/8 Gen series, 865, 888, and related SoCs)
- Qualcomm FastConnect connectivity subsystems (6200, 6700, 6800, 6900, 7800) and WCN/WSA audio and Wi-Fi firmware
- Qualcomm automotive (SA series), IoT, XR, wearable, and 5G modem-RF firmware (SDX55/61/82/85, X50–X75)
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-09 - CVE-2025-27054 published to NVD
- October 2025 - Qualcomm publishes fix in the October 2025 Security Bulletin
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-27054
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is an out-of-bounds write ([CWE-787]) that occurs while the affected firmware parses a license file during the system reboot sequence. When the license parser encounters a malformed record, it writes data outside the bounds of the intended buffer, corrupting adjacent memory structures.
Because the parsing occurs early in the boot flow with elevated privileges, memory corruption at this stage can influence code execution paths, security-critical structures, and platform state before user-space defenses are active. The attack vector is local, meaning an actor must already have code execution or file-write access on the device to place a crafted license file.
Root Cause
The root cause is insufficient validation of length or structural fields within the license file format. The parser trusts attacker-influenced size values and writes payload bytes into a fixed-size buffer without enforcing bounds checks, producing an out-of-bounds write on the next reboot.
Attack Vector
An attacker with local, low-privileged access stages a malformed license file in a location consumed by the firmware during reboot. When the device is subsequently rebooted, either through normal use or an attacker-triggered reset, the parser processes the malicious file and corrupts memory. No user interaction is required beyond the reboot event itself.
Exploitation requires local access; there is no known network-reachable attack path. As of publication, there is no public proof-of-concept, no CISA KEV listing, and no confirmed exploitation in the wild.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-27054
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected modifications to license files or the directories from which firmware reads license data prior to reboot
- Anomalous device reboot loops, boot failures, or crash dumps referencing license parsing routines
- Presence of local processes writing to firmware-consumed paths without a legitimate provisioning workflow
Detection Strategies
- Monitor file integrity on license file paths consumed by Qualcomm firmware components and alert on unauthorized writes
- Correlate reboot events with preceding local file-write activity from unprivileged or unexpected processes
- Collect and review vendor-provided crash logs and ramdump artifacts for signatures consistent with license parser memory corruption
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable endpoint telemetry on mobile, automotive, and IoT management platforms to surface local write operations to firmware-adjacent storage
- Track firmware and patch level inventory to confirm which devices remain on vulnerable Qualcomm builds
- Feed device crash and boot telemetry into a centralized analytics platform to identify clustering that may indicate exploitation attempts
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-27054
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the Qualcomm firmware updates referenced in the October 2025 Security Bulletin as they are delivered by OEMs and platform vendors
- Inventory affected Snapdragon, FastConnect, WCN/WSA, SA-series automotive, and X-series modem components in your fleet and prioritize patch rollout
- Restrict local access to devices and enforce least privilege for any process capable of writing license or firmware configuration files
Patch Information
Qualcomm addressed CVE-2025-27054 in the October 2025 Security Bulletin. Patches are distributed to OEMs, who then integrate them into device firmware and platform updates. Consult device vendor advisories to confirm patch availability for your specific hardware SKU and firmware branch.
Workarounds
- Where patches are not yet available, block untrusted local write access to license file storage locations on affected devices
- Limit reboot triggers exposed to non-administrative users and monitor for unexpected reboot commands
- Validate license file provenance and integrity through signed provisioning workflows before deployment to production devices
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
