CVE-2025-59604 Overview
CVE-2025-59604 is a memory corruption vulnerability affecting a broad range of Qualcomm Snapdragon platforms and firmware components. The flaw originates from a null pointer dereference [CWE-476] during a memory copy operation, which results in invalid writes to memory. A local attacker with low privileges can trigger the condition without user interaction. Successful exploitation impacts the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected device. Qualcomm disclosed the issue in its June 2026 Security Bulletin, which covers mobile, compute, automotive, IoT, wearable, and modem firmware product lines.
Critical Impact
A local, low-privileged attacker can corrupt kernel or firmware memory through invalid writes, leading to potential code execution, privilege escalation, or device compromise across hundreds of Qualcomm chipsets.
Affected Products
- Qualcomm Snapdragon mobile platforms (4 Gen 1/2, 6 Gen 1/3/4, 7 series, 8 Gen 1/2/3, 8 Elite, 8 Elite Gen 5, 865/870/888)
- Qualcomm Snapdragon compute, automotive, XR, and wearable platforms (8cx Gen 3, AR1 Gen 1, XR2, W5+ Gen 1, SA8xxx automotive series)
- Qualcomm FastConnect, WCN, WCD, WSA, QCA, QCM, QCN, QCS, and Snapdragon X-series modem-RF firmware components
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-06-01 - CVE-2025-59604 published to NVD
- 2026-06-02 - Last updated in NVD database
- June 2026 - Qualcomm publishes security bulletin addressing the issue
Technical Details for CVE-2025-59604
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is a memory corruption issue categorized as a null pointer dereference [CWE-476]. During execution of a memory copy operation, affected Qualcomm firmware components fail to validate a pointer before dereferencing it as a destination buffer. When the pointer holds a null or otherwise invalid value, the copy routine performs writes to an unintended memory region. These invalid writes corrupt adjacent firmware structures, register state, or kernel-resident data. The result is a high-impact compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected processor or modem subsystem.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing pointer validation prior to a memory copy. The affected firmware path assumes the destination pointer is initialized to a valid mapping. When this assumption fails, the copy still proceeds and writes attacker-influenced length or content to memory referenced through the unchecked pointer. Because the issue lives in firmware shared across mobile, automotive, compute, XR, and modem product families, a single defective routine propagates exposure to hundreds of SKUs.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires local access to the device and low-level privileges, but does not require user interaction. An attacker with code execution in a normal-world process or a privileged service can submit crafted parameters to the vulnerable firmware interface. The malformed request drives the code path that performs the unchecked copy. Successful exploitation may enable privilege escalation from a constrained context into firmware or kernel memory, persistence below the operating system, or denial of service on critical radio and compute components.
A verified public proof-of-concept is not available for CVE-2025-59604. Refer to the Qualcomm June 2026 Security Bulletin for vendor technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-59604
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected device crashes, kernel panics, or modem subsystem resets correlated with userspace processes invoking firmware interfaces.
- Firmware build versions on affected Snapdragon, QCM, QCS, QCN, WCN, or SA-series components that predate the June 2026 Qualcomm patch level.
- Anomalous IOCTL or shared memory traffic from non-system applications targeting Qualcomm driver endpoints.
Detection Strategies
- Inventory device firmware and security patch levels against the affected component list in the Qualcomm June 2026 bulletin.
- Monitor kernel logs (dmesg, logcat) for repeated subsystem restarts, SError exceptions, or null pointer faults originating in Qualcomm drivers.
- Correlate process telemetry with system instability to identify unprivileged processes that consistently precede firmware faults.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Centralize mobile and embedded device crash telemetry and alert on spikes tied to Qualcomm components.
- Track Android Security Patch Level (SPL) and OEM firmware versions across the fleet to confirm uptake of the June 2026 patch.
- Flag installation of applications requesting access to Qualcomm hardware interfaces from untrusted sources.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-59604
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the June 2026 Qualcomm firmware updates as soon as they are distributed by the device OEM or carrier.
- Identify all affected Snapdragon, automotive (SAxxxx), compute, IoT, modem, and connectivity components in the environment and prioritize patching.
- Restrict installation of untrusted applications on affected mobile and embedded devices until patches are deployed.
Patch Information
Qualcomm has published fixes in the Qualcomm June 2026 Security Bulletin. OEMs and carriers must integrate the corrected firmware into their device-specific builds. End users receive the fix through the corresponding Android Security Patch Level or OEM firmware update channel.
Workarounds
- No vendor-supplied workaround is documented; applying the firmware update is the supported remediation path.
- Reduce risk by limiting local code execution opportunities: enforce application allowlisting, disable sideloading, and remove unused privileged services.
- For embedded and automotive deployments, segment management interfaces and restrict physical and debug-port access to trusted personnel only.
# Verify Android security patch level on a managed device
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Confirm Qualcomm firmware/component versions where exposed
adb shell getprop | grep -iE 'qcom|qualcomm|modem|baseband'
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
