CVE-2025-58349 Overview
CVE-2025-58349 is a critical vulnerability discovered in the L2 (Layer 2) implementation of Samsung Exynos mobile processors, wearable processors, and modems. The flaw stems from incorrect handling of LTE MAC (Medium Access Control) packets that contain multiple MAC Control Elements (CEs), which can lead to baseband processor crashes. This vulnerability affects a wide range of Samsung semiconductor products used in smartphones, wearables, and communication modules, making it a significant concern for enterprise and consumer device security.
Critical Impact
Remote attackers can trigger baseband crashes on affected Samsung devices by sending specially crafted LTE MAC packets, potentially enabling denial of service attacks without any user interaction or authentication.
Affected Products
- Samsung Exynos Mobile Processors (980, 990, 850, 1080, 2100, 1280, 2200, 1330, 1380, 1480, 2400, 1580, 2500)
- Samsung Exynos Wearable Processors (9110, W920, W930, W1000)
- Samsung Exynos Modems (5123, 5300, 5400)
Discovery Timeline
- April 6, 2026 - CVE-2025-58349 published to NVD
- April 7, 2026 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-58349
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability exists in the Layer 2 (Data Link Layer) processing component of Samsung Exynos baseband firmware. The baseband processor is responsible for handling all cellular communication functions, including LTE MAC sublayer operations. When the affected firmware receives LTE MAC packets containing an excessive number of MAC Control Elements, the parsing logic fails to properly manage resource allocation, leading to a crash condition.
The vulnerability allows network-based attacks where an adversary can send malicious LTE packets to a target device. Since baseband processors operate independently from the main application processor, a crash in this component can disrupt all cellular connectivity without requiring any privileges or user interaction. The attack can potentially be executed from a rogue base station or through packet injection on the LTE network.
Root Cause
The root cause is classified as CWE-400 (Uncontrolled Resource Consumption). The vulnerability occurs because the L2 implementation does not properly validate or limit the number of MAC Control Elements that can be processed within a single LTE MAC packet. When a packet arrives with an unusually high count of MAC CEs, the baseband firmware attempts to process all elements without adequate boundary checking, leading to resource exhaustion or memory corruption that triggers a crash.
MAC Control Elements are used in LTE to carry control information such as buffer status reports, timing advance commands, and power headroom reports. The specification allows for multiple CEs in a single MAC PDU (Protocol Data Unit), but the implementation fails to enforce reasonable limits on the quantity that can be safely processed.
Attack Vector
The attack can be conducted over the network (LTE air interface) without requiring any authentication or user interaction. An attacker positioned within radio range could deploy a malicious base station or femtocell that transmits crafted LTE MAC packets to devices in the vicinity. The attack exploits the mandatory processing of MAC layer signaling by the baseband processor.
The attack flow involves:
- Attacker establishes a rogue LTE cell or gains access to network infrastructure
- Target device connects to or receives signals from the attacker-controlled cell
- Attacker transmits LTE MAC PDUs containing excessive MAC Control Elements
- Target device's baseband processor attempts to parse all CEs
- Resource exhaustion or parsing error causes baseband crash
- Cellular connectivity is disrupted until device recovery
Since no code examples are available for this vulnerability, technical implementation details can be found in the Samsung Security Advisory.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-58349
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected baseband processor crashes or restarts on Samsung devices with Exynos chipsets
- Repeated loss of cellular connectivity without apparent network issues
- Modem crash logs indicating L2 or MAC layer processing failures
- Unusual LTE signaling patterns observed in network monitoring tools
Detection Strategies
- Monitor device logs for baseband crash events, particularly those referencing L2 or MAC processing components
- Implement network-level monitoring for anomalous LTE MAC PDU sizes or control element counts
- Deploy cellular intrusion detection systems capable of identifying malformed LTE signaling
- Track device telemetry for patterns of cellular disconnection across multiple Exynos-based devices
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable detailed baseband logging on affected devices where supported for forensic analysis
- Implement alerting for repeated modem restart events across enterprise device fleets
- Monitor for the presence of unauthorized base stations or femtocells in sensitive areas
- Coordinate with mobile carriers for network-side anomaly detection capabilities
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-58349
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply firmware updates from Samsung as soon as they become available for affected chipsets
- Review enterprise mobile device inventory to identify devices using affected Exynos processors
- Consider temporarily restricting device use in high-risk environments where rogue base station attacks are feasible
- Ensure device management policies enforce automatic security updates
Patch Information
Samsung has acknowledged this vulnerability and published security information through their official channels. Organizations should monitor the Samsung Product Security Updates page for firmware patches addressing CVE-2025-58349. Device manufacturers using affected Exynos chipsets will need to integrate the patches into their own firmware update cycles.
Detailed patch information is available at the Samsung CVE-2025-58349 Details page.
Workarounds
- No direct workaround exists for this vulnerability as it affects baseband firmware
- Limit device exposure to untrusted cellular networks where possible
- In high-security environments, consider using devices with alternative (non-Exynos) baseband processors until patches are available
- Enable airplane mode when cellular connectivity is not required to reduce attack surface
# Verify device chipset and firmware version (Android)
adb shell getprop ro.hardware
adb shell getprop gsm.version.baseband
# Check for available system updates
adb shell am start -a android.settings.SYSTEM_UPDATE_SETTINGS
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
