CVE-2025-48641 Overview
CVE-2025-48641 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Android Near Field Communication (NFC) subsystem. The flaw resides in multiple functions of Nfc.h and stems from a race condition between concurrent threads accessing freed memory. A local attacker with low privileges can exploit this condition to achieve local escalation of privilege without user interaction. The vulnerability is tracked under [CWE-362] (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization) and affects Android versions 14, 15, and 16, including multiple QPR2 beta builds. Google addressed the issue in the Android Security Bulletin March 2026.
Critical Impact
Local privilege escalation through NFC stack memory corruption, exploitable without user interaction and without additional execution privileges.
Affected Products
- Google Android 14.0
- Google Android 15.0
- Google Android 16.0 (including QPR2 Beta 1, Beta 2, and Beta 3)
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-03-02 - CVE-2025-48641 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
- 2026-03-01 - Google releases fix in the Android Security Bulletin
- 2026-03-06 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-48641
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a use-after-free condition triggered by a race between concurrent threads operating on shared NFC state. Multiple functions defined in Nfc.h access an object whose lifetime is not properly synchronized. One thread can free the underlying memory while another thread retains a reference and dereferences it. The result is access to memory that may have been reallocated for attacker-controlled content. An attacker who wins the race can corrupt kernel or privileged process state and elevate privileges on the device.
Root Cause
The root cause is improper synchronization of shared NFC objects across concurrent execution paths [CWE-362]. The affected functions in Nfc.h lack adequate locking or reference-counting guarantees to ensure exclusive access during object teardown. This allows a window where one thread frees the resource while another thread continues to operate on the stale pointer.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires local access to the device and low privileges, consistent with the local attack vector. No user interaction is required. An attacker leverages an unprivileged process to invoke the vulnerable NFC code paths concurrently, racing the free operation against an in-flight use. Successful exploitation yields code execution at higher privilege within the NFC service context, leading to compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected component.
No public proof-of-concept code has been released. Refer to the Android Security Bulletin March 2026 for technical specifics.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-48641
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected crashes or tombstone files referencing the NFC service (com.android.nfc) or Nfc.h call sites.
- Anomalous process privilege transitions originating from unprivileged applications interacting with NFC APIs.
- SELinux denial events tied to NFC-related domains accessing unexpected resources.
Detection Strategies
- Monitor Android logcat and tombstone artifacts for SIGSEGV faults inside the NFC stack indicating memory corruption attempts.
- Inspect installed applications for those requesting NFC permissions paired with native code that performs aggressive multithreaded invocation of NFC APIs.
- Track Android build fingerprints against the March 2026 security patch level to identify unpatched fleet devices.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enroll devices in a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution that reports the Android security patch level and flags devices below 2026-03-01.
- Centralize crash and kernel telemetry from managed Android endpoints for correlation against NFC service faults.
- Review newly installed applications with NFC permissions for behavioral anomalies post-installation.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-48641
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the Android security patch level 2026-03-01 or later to all affected Android 14, 15, and 16 devices.
- Audit application inventories and remove untrusted apps that request NFC permissions without clear business justification.
- Enforce MDM policies that block installation of applications from unverified sources on managed Android devices.
Patch Information
Google released the fix in the Android Security Bulletin March 2026. Devices must be updated to the 2026-03-01 security patch level or later. OEM rollout timing varies, so coordinate with device vendors to confirm availability of the patched build for each device model in the fleet.
Workarounds
- Disable NFC under Settings on devices that cannot be immediately patched and do not require NFC functionality.
- Restrict installation of third-party applications and require apps to be sourced from Google Play with Play Protect enabled.
- Limit physical access to unpatched devices to reduce the opportunity for local exploitation.
# Verify the Android security patch level on a connected device
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Expected output for patched devices: 2026-03-01 or later
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
