CVE-2025-47358: Kernel Use-After-Free Vulnerability

CVE-2025-47358 Overview

CVE-2025-47358 is a memory corruption vulnerability classified as Use-After-Free (CWE-416) that occurs when a user space address is modified and subsequently passed to the mem_free API. This improper handling causes kernel memory to be freed inadvertently, potentially leading to severe security consequences including privilege escalation, information disclosure, or system instability.

Critical Impact

This vulnerability allows local attackers with low privileges to potentially corrupt kernel memory, leading to privilege escalation, arbitrary code execution, or system crashes through exploitation of the mem_free API.

Affected Products

• Qualcomm chipset components (refer to Qualcomm Security Bulletin February 2026 for specific affected products)

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-02 - CVE-2025-47358 published to NVD
• 2026-02-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-47358

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from improper validation of user-supplied memory addresses before they are processed by the kernel's memory deallocation routines. When a user space application provides a memory address to the mem_free API, the system fails to adequately verify that the address belongs to the user's allocated memory region. An attacker can exploit this by modifying the address to point to kernel memory space, causing the kernel to inadvertently free memory that should remain allocated.

The Use-After-Free condition arises because once kernel memory is incorrectly freed, subsequent kernel operations may attempt to access this memory, which could now be reallocated for other purposes. This creates a window of opportunity for attackers to manipulate the freed memory and influence kernel behavior.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-47358 lies in insufficient input validation within the memory management subsystem. Specifically, the mem_free API does not properly validate whether the provided address falls within the legitimate user space memory range before proceeding with the deallocation operation. This lack of boundary checking allows modified user space addresses to be interpreted as kernel addresses, leading to inappropriate memory operations.

Attack Vector

This vulnerability requires local access to the affected system. An attacker with low-level privileges on the target device can craft a malicious application that:

1. Allocates memory through normal user space APIs
2. Modifies the memory address pointer to reference kernel memory regions
3. Passes this modified address to the mem_free API
4. Triggers the inadvertent freeing of kernel memory
5. Exploits the resulting Use-After-Free condition to achieve privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution

The attack does not require user interaction and can be executed programmatically once the attacker has local access to the device. Given the local attack vector and low privilege requirements, devices with untrusted applications or in shared-user environments are at heightened risk.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-47358

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected kernel memory allocation patterns or anomalies in memory usage statistics
• System instability, crashes, or kernel panics without apparent cause
• Abnormal application behavior attempting to manipulate memory addresses outside expected ranges
• Evidence of privilege escalation attempts from low-privilege processes

Detection Strategies

• Implement kernel memory auditing to detect unauthorized memory deallocation operations
• Deploy runtime application self-protection (RASP) solutions to monitor memory management API calls
• Utilize kernel integrity monitoring tools to detect unexpected changes to kernel memory regions
• Enable enhanced logging for memory management operations to identify suspicious patterns

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor system logs for kernel memory corruption warnings or error messages
• Track processes attempting to invoke memory management APIs with unusual parameters
• Implement anomaly detection for applications exhibiting unexpected memory access patterns
• Configure alerts for kernel panic events that may indicate exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-47358

Immediate Actions Required

• Review and apply the latest security patches from Qualcomm as detailed in the Qualcomm Security Bulletin February 2026
• Restrict local access to affected devices to trusted users only
• Implement application allowlisting to prevent execution of unauthorized software
• Enable kernel hardening features such as KASLR (Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization) where available

Patch Information

Qualcomm has addressed this vulnerability in their February 2026 Security Bulletin. Affected device manufacturers and users should consult the Qualcomm Security Bulletin February 2026 for specific patch information and deployment guidance. Ensure firmware and driver updates are applied as they become available through device manufacturers.

Workarounds

• Limit local access to devices running affected Qualcomm components until patches are applied
• Implement strict application control policies to prevent untrusted applications from executing
• Enable SELinux or similar mandatory access control mechanisms in enforcing mode
• Monitor for and block applications attempting suspicious memory operations through endpoint security solutions

# Example: Enable SELinux enforcing mode on Linux-based systems
sudo setenforce 1
# Verify SELinux status
sestatus
# Ensure SELinux is set to enforcing in configuration
sudo sed -i 's/SELINUX=permissive/SELINUX=enforcing/' /etc/selinux/config