Overview of CVE-2025-20651
On March 3, 2025, a significant vulnerability was published under the identifier CVE-2025-20651. This vulnerability primarily affects a range of MediaTek devices, specifically those utilizing certain MediaTek chipsets. The issue at hand is an out-of-bounds read, classified under CWE-125, due to missing bounds checking in certain conditions. This flaw can potentially enable unauthorized access to sensitive information, given specific conditions.
Details of the Vulnerability
The vulnerability stems from a lack of adequate bounds checking within specific processes, leading to the possibility of out-of-bounds reads. Such a flaw could facilitate local information disclosure, provided an attacker has physical access to the affected device. Notably, no additional execution privileges are necessary to exploit this vulnerability, although it does require some level of user interaction.
Affected products include MediaTek chipsets MT2737, MT6781, MT6789, MT6835, MT6855, MT6878, MT6879, MT6880, MT6886, MT6890, MT6895, MT6897, MT6980, MT6983, MT6985, MT6989, MT6990, MT8370, MT8390, and MT8676 among others. The issue impacts devices running Android versions 13.0 through 15.0, as well as openWRT 21.02 and 23.05, Yocto 4.0, and RDK-B versions 22Q3 and 24Q1.
Mitigation Strategies
Addressing this vulnerability effectively necessitates a multi-faceted approach:
- Apply Security Patches: MediaTek has issued patches under Patch ID: ALPS09291294. Ensure that all affected devices are promptly updated with these patches, mitigating the out-of-bounds read risk.
- Device Physical Security: Restrict physical access to devices running vulnerable firmware. Implement physical security measures to limit exposure to potential attackers.
- User Training: Educate users about the possible risks associated with user interaction under vulnerable circumstances. Awareness can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation.
For more details, refer to the official MediaTek product security bulletin of March 2025. By implementing these mitigation strategies, you can greatly enhance the security posture of affected devices, protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access.
Conclusion
CVE-2025-20651 presents a critical challenge for users of affected MediaTek devices, yet proactively applying patches and improving physical and user security measures can mitigate these risks effectively. Ensuring all systems are up-to-date with the latest security patches should be a priority for maintaining robust device security against potential out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities.