Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
This is a Samsung Mobile kernel availability issue. If an attacker already has radio permission on an affected device, malformed input to a modem interface driver can crash the kernel. The business impact is device disruption, not data theft. CISA KEV listing means exploitation has been observed, so patched-device verification matters despite low CVSS.
Executive priority
Treat as a targeted mobile hygiene item, not a broad enterprise emergency. Known exploitation raises urgency, but the technical impact is device crash and the attack requires prior local capability. Patch verification and removal of stale Samsung devices should be the priority.
Technical view
CVE-2021-25489 is missing input validation, CWE-20, in Samsung's modem interface driver before SMR Oct-2021 Release 1. With local low privileges and radio permission, a format string bug can cause kernel panic. CVSS 3.1 is 3.3, with no confidentiality or integrity impact and low availability impact.
Likely exposure
Exposure is limited to Samsung Mobile Devices running Android O 8.1, P 9.0, Q 10.0, or R 11.0 before Samsung's October 2021 security maintenance release. Devices outside Samsung Mobile scope or already updated to the relevant release are not identified as affected in the provided sources.
Exploitation context
The provided bundle marks this CVE as present in CISA KEV, which supports known exploitation. The vulnerability is not remotely exploitable from the network by itself; the listed vector is local, requires low privileges, and assumes radio permission is already gained.
Researcher notes
The sources do not provide exploit mechanics, affected model granularity, or detailed vendor mitigations beyond the Samsung October 2021 release reference. Analysis should stay constrained to local availability impact, assumed radio permission, and affected Samsung Android O through R versions before SMR Oct-2021 Release 1.
Mitigation direction
- Apply Samsung SMR Oct-2021 Release 1 or later where available.
- Verify mobile fleets are not running affected pre-October 2021 builds.
- Prioritize remediation for managed Samsung devices in regulated or operational roles.
- Retire or isolate devices that cannot receive the relevant Samsung update.
- Track Samsung and CISA guidance for any additional advisories.
Validation and detection
- Inventory Samsung Mobile devices and record Android version and security patch level.
- Confirm affected OS versions received SMR Oct-2021 Release 1 or later.
- Use MDM reporting to find devices below the required patch level.
- Check CISA KEV records to document known-exploited status.
- Review device reliability telemetry for unexplained kernel panics where available.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-20: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2021-25489 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Low
- CVSS
- 3.3 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- Yes
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CISA KEV status
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L1.81.4Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
3.3LowVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://security.samsungmobile.com/securityUpdate.smsb?year=2021&month=10CVE reference · x_refsource_MISC
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-25489CVE reference · government-resource
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Improper Input Validation
Improper Input Validation represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.