CVE-2025-52908: Samsung Exynos Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2025-52908 Overview

A critical buffer overflow vulnerability has been discovered in the Wi-Fi driver of Samsung Mobile and Wearable Processor Exynos chipsets. The vulnerability stems from incorrect handling of the NL80211 vendor command, which can be exploited through a specially crafted ioctl message. This flaw affects a wide range of Samsung Exynos processors used in mobile devices and wearables, potentially allowing attackers to achieve remote code execution with elevated privileges.

Critical Impact

This buffer overflow vulnerability in Samsung Exynos Wi-Fi drivers enables remote attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code on affected devices without user interaction. The network-accessible attack vector combined with no authentication requirements makes this a severe threat to mobile and wearable device security.

Affected Products

• Samsung Exynos 980 Mobile Processor (Firmware)
• Samsung Exynos 850 Mobile Processor (Firmware)
• Samsung Exynos 1280 Mobile Processor (Firmware)
• Samsung Exynos 1330 Mobile Processor (Firmware)
• Samsung Exynos 1380 Mobile Processor (Firmware)
• Samsung Exynos 1480 Mobile Processor (Firmware)
• Samsung Exynos 1580 Mobile Processor (Firmware)
• Samsung Exynos W920 Wearable Processor (Firmware)
• Samsung Exynos W930 Wearable Processor (Firmware)
• Samsung Exynos W1000 Wearable Processor (Firmware)

Discovery Timeline

• April 7, 2026 - CVE-2025-52908 published to NVD
• April 9, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-52908

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability (CWE-120: Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input) exists within the Wi-Fi driver component of Samsung Exynos processors. The flaw occurs when the driver processes NL80211 vendor commands via ioctl system calls. Due to improper bounds checking, an attacker can supply malformed input that exceeds the allocated buffer size, leading to memory corruption.

The vulnerability is accessible over the network without requiring any privileges or user interaction, making it particularly dangerous for devices connected to untrusted Wi-Fi networks. Successful exploitation could allow an attacker to overwrite critical memory regions, potentially hijacking program execution flow and achieving arbitrary code execution with kernel-level privileges.

This is identified as "issue 1 of 2," indicating a related vulnerability may also exist in the same code path.

Root Cause

The root cause is a classic buffer overflow condition (CWE-120) where the Wi-Fi driver fails to properly validate the size of input data before copying it into a fixed-size buffer. The NL80211 vendor command handler does not implement adequate bounds checking when processing ioctl messages, allowing oversized payloads to overflow the destination buffer and corrupt adjacent memory.

Attack Vector

The attack leverages the network-accessible nature of Wi-Fi driver functionality. An attacker positioned within Wi-Fi range or capable of sending malicious network packets can craft a specially formatted ioctl message targeting the vulnerable NL80211 vendor command handler. The malicious payload would exceed expected buffer boundaries, allowing the attacker to:

1. Corrupt adjacent memory structures
2. Overwrite function pointers or return addresses
3. Redirect program execution to attacker-controlled code
4. Achieve arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges

The vulnerability mechanism involves improper input validation in the NL80211 vendor command handling code path within the Exynos Wi-Fi driver. When processing certain ioctl messages, the driver copies data into a fixed-size buffer without verifying that the source data fits within the allocated space. Attackers can exploit this by sending oversized data through the vulnerable interface, causing a buffer overflow that can be leveraged for code execution. For complete technical details, refer to the Samsung CVE-2025-52908 Security Advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-52908

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected Wi-Fi driver crashes or kernel panics on Samsung Exynos-powered devices
• Anomalous ioctl system calls targeting Wi-Fi driver interfaces with unusually large payloads
• Memory corruption signatures in kernel logs related to Wi-Fi driver operations
• Suspicious network traffic patterns involving NL80211 vendor-specific commands

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for kernel oops or panic events associated with Wi-Fi driver modules on Exynos devices
• Implement network intrusion detection rules for malformed 802.11 vendor-specific frames
• Deploy endpoint detection to identify anomalous ioctl patterns targeting wireless interfaces
• Audit device firmware versions against known vulnerable Exynos processor firmware releases

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for Wi-Fi driver events on enterprise-managed Samsung devices
• Implement mobile device management (MDM) solutions to track firmware versions across device fleets
• Monitor for unusual Wi-Fi connection behavior or repeated driver reinitialization events
• Configure SIEM alerts for kernel-level memory corruption indicators on mobile endpoints

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-52908

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the latest firmware updates from Samsung for all affected Exynos-powered devices
• Disable Wi-Fi on vulnerable devices when not actively needed until patches are applied
• Avoid connecting to untrusted or public Wi-Fi networks on unpatched devices
• Enable automatic security updates on all Samsung mobile and wearable devices

Patch Information

Samsung has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Administrators and users should apply the latest firmware updates available through Samsung's official channels. Detailed patch information is available through the Samsung Product Security Updates page and the CVE-2025-52908 specific advisory.

Workarounds

• Temporarily disable Wi-Fi functionality on affected devices until patches can be applied
• Use cellular data connections as an alternative to Wi-Fi where possible
• Implement network segmentation to isolate mobile devices from critical infrastructure
• Consider deploying a Mobile Threat Defense solution for additional runtime protection

Organizations should prioritize firmware updates for devices using affected Exynos processors. Consult Samsung's security advisory for specific firmware version requirements and update procedures for your device models.