CVE-2025-47377: Qualcomm AR8035 Use-After-Free Vulnerability

CVE-2025-47377 Overview

CVE-2025-47377 is a Use After Free (UAF) vulnerability affecting a wide range of Qualcomm chipsets and firmware. The vulnerability occurs when memory is accessed after it has been freed while processing IOCTL (Input/Output Control) calls. This type of memory corruption vulnerability can allow a local attacker with low privileges to potentially achieve code execution, gain elevated privileges, or cause system instability on affected devices.

The vulnerability impacts numerous Qualcomm products spanning mobile platforms (Snapdragon series), automotive systems, wearables, IoT devices, connectivity modules, and audio components. Given the widespread use of Qualcomm chipsets in consumer and enterprise devices worldwide, the potential attack surface is substantial.

Critical Impact

Local exploitation of this Use After Free vulnerability during IOCTL processing could lead to arbitrary code execution, privilege escalation, or denial of service across a broad range of Qualcomm-powered devices including smartphones, vehicles, and IoT systems.

Affected Products

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 Mobile Platform
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform
• Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 2 Mobile Platform
• Qualcomm FastConnect 6200, 6900, 7800 Series
• Qualcomm SA8155P, SA8255P, SA8295P Automotive Platforms
• Qualcomm WCN3910, WCN3950, WCN3980, WCN3988 Connectivity Modules
• Qualcomm QCA6174A, QCA6391, QCA6574 Series WiFi Chipsets
• Qualcomm Robotics RB5 Platform
• Qualcomm Snapdragon X72, X75 5G Modem-RF Systems
• Qualcomm SW5100, SW5100P Wearable Platforms

Discovery Timeline

• March 2, 2026 - CVE-2025-47377 published to NVD
• March 4, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-47377

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-416: Use After Free, a memory corruption class that occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it references has been deallocated. In the context of CVE-2025-47377, the flaw manifests during the processing of IOCTL calls within Qualcomm firmware drivers.

IOCTL calls are a mechanism used for communication between user-space applications and kernel-space drivers. When processing these calls, the affected firmware improperly handles memory buffers, continuing to access a buffer after it has been freed. This creates a window where an attacker with local access can potentially manipulate the freed memory region to inject malicious data or code pointers.

The vulnerability requires local access to the device and low privileges to exploit, meaning an attacker would need some form of initial foothold on the system—such as a malicious application or prior compromise—to attempt exploitation.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-47377 is improper memory lifecycle management in the IOCTL processing code path. When an IOCTL request is handled, the driver allocates a buffer for processing the request. Under certain conditions, this buffer is freed prematurely or the reference to the freed buffer is not properly invalidated. Subsequent operations then attempt to dereference this stale pointer, leading to a Use After Free condition.

This type of bug typically arises from:

• Missing or incorrect reference counting for shared buffers
• Race conditions between buffer allocation/deallocation and usage
• Error handling paths that free memory without clearing the corresponding pointers
• Asynchronous processing where buffer lifetime is not properly synchronized

Attack Vector

The attack vector for CVE-2025-47377 is local, requiring the attacker to have code execution capability on the target device. A typical exploitation scenario would involve:

1. An attacker gains initial access through a malicious application, phishing, or another vulnerability
2. The attacker crafts specific IOCTL calls designed to trigger the vulnerable code path
3. By carefully timing memory allocations, the attacker can arrange for controlled data to occupy the freed memory region (heap spraying/heap feng shui techniques)
4. When the freed buffer is accessed, the attacker's controlled data is used, potentially redirecting execution flow or corrupting critical data structures

Successful exploitation could enable kernel-level code execution, allowing the attacker to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, or establish persistent access to the device.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-47377

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected system crashes or kernel panics on devices with vulnerable Qualcomm chipsets
• Anomalous IOCTL call patterns from applications that don't typically interact with low-level drivers
• Memory corruption signatures in crash dumps referencing freed heap regions
• Unusual privilege escalation events following suspicious driver interactions

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for applications making unusual or excessive IOCTL calls to Qualcomm-related drivers
• Implement kernel-level monitoring for memory access violations and use-after-free patterns
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying memory corruption exploitation attempts
• Review device logs for repeated driver errors or kernel warnings related to memory handling

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for kernel drivers on critical systems to capture IOCTL activity
• Implement behavioral analysis to detect anomalous application-to-driver communication patterns
• Deploy mobile device management (MDM) solutions with security monitoring capabilities for enterprise mobile fleets
• Monitor for firmware modification attempts or unexpected driver behavior on IoT and automotive systems

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-47377

Immediate Actions Required

• Review Qualcomm's March 2026 Security Bulletin to identify if your specific chipsets are affected
• Contact your device OEM or vendor for firmware update availability and deployment timelines
• Prioritize patching for devices in high-security environments such as enterprise mobile devices and automotive systems
• Restrict application installation to trusted sources to reduce the risk of malicious apps exploiting this vulnerability

Patch Information

Qualcomm has addressed this vulnerability in their March 2026 Security Bulletin. Device manufacturers (OEMs) are responsible for integrating these patches and distributing firmware updates to end users. Organizations should consult the Qualcomm March 2026 Security Bulletin for detailed patch information and work with their device vendors to obtain updated firmware.

For mobile devices, updates are typically delivered through Android security patches. For automotive and IoT platforms, updates may require direct coordination with the equipment manufacturer.

Workarounds

• Limit installation of applications to trusted sources and implement application whitelisting where feasible
• Deploy endpoint protection solutions with exploit mitigation capabilities to detect and block memory corruption attacks
• For enterprise environments, consider network segmentation to limit the impact of potentially compromised devices
• Monitor vulnerable devices closely for signs of exploitation until patches can be applied

# Check Android security patch level on affected devices
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch

# Query device for Qualcomm chipset information
adb shell cat /sys/devices/soc0/soc_id
adb shell cat /sys/devices/soc0/chip_name