An issue was discovered in the Wi-Fi driver in Samsung Mobile Processor and Wearable Processor Exynos 980, 850, 1080, 1280, 1330, 1380, 1480, 1580, W920, W930, and W1000. Improper synchronization on a global variable leads to a double free. An attacker can trigger a race condition by invoking an ioctl function concurrently from multiple threads.
The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 7, indicating a high-severity risk. This classification is critical as the potential for exploitation is significant, particularly in local contexts where an attacker can manipulate the system directly. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately.
Risk to organizations includes potential unauthorized access and manipulation of device functions, leading to compromised integrity and availability of the affected systems. The nature of the vulnerability necessitates a robust response from security teams to mitigate exposure.
No public exploit has been confirmed for this vulnerability, and it is not currently listed in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. However, the low EPSS score indicates minimal likelihood of exploitation in the wild, emphasizing the importance of addressing this vulnerability in an organization's patch cycle.
Given the potential impact, organizations should schedule remediation as a high priority to protect their systems.
Vulnerability Details
CVE-2025-54601 is classified under CWE-362, indicating an improper synchronization issue that can lead to a double free condition. The CVSS vector string for this vulnerability is CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, which highlights the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
The affected products include multiple versions of Samsung's Exynos firmware, including Exynos 980, 850, 1080, 1280, 1330, 1380, 1480, 1580, W920, W930, and W1000. The vulnerability was published on April 6, 2026.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of CVE-2025-54601 is improper synchronization on a global variable within the Wi-Fi driver. This flaw allows for a double free condition, which can be exploited by attackers to trigger a race condition.
The attack vector is local, requiring physical or local access to the device. The attack complexity is rated as high due to the need for concurrent invocation of the ioctl function from multiple threads. The privileges required are low, meaning that an attacker does not need elevated access to exploit the vulnerability.
User interaction is not required to exploit this vulnerability, making it a significant risk. The impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability are all rated as high, indicating that successful exploitation could result in severe consequences for affected devices.
Risk & Impact Analysis
Organizations utilizing Samsung Exynos firmware products face substantial risks from CVE-2025-54601. The potential for an attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability through a race condition poses a direct threat to device reliability and security.
The real-world deployment risk is high, particularly in environments where these processors are used widely, such as in mobile devices and wearables. The blast radius potential is significant due to the widespread use of affected products, which could lead to a large number of compromised devices if exploited.
The urgency assessment based on the CVSS score indicates that organizations should address this vulnerability in their patch cycles, prioritizing it due to the high impact and exploitability concerns.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | No |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The vulnerability affects the following versions of Samsung Exynos firmware: Exynos 980, 850, 1080, 1280, 1330, 1380, 1480, 1580, W920, W930, and W1000. Organizations should consider all versions prior to the vendor patch as vulnerable.
Mitigation & Remediation
To mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2025-54601, organizations are advised to update to the latest firmware versions provided by Samsung. Regular checks for firmware updates are essential to ensure that vulnerabilities are addressed promptly.
If immediate patching is not feasible, consider implementing additional network controls and security measures to limit exposure. Organizations can also benefit from engaging in penetration testing to identify potential vulnerabilities in their systems.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor logs for indicators of exploitation attempts, such as unusual ioctl function calls or abnormal thread behavior. Behavioral anomalies in system performance or unexpected crashes may also indicate exploitation.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2025-54601 lies in the growing complexity of vulnerabilities associated with multi-threaded environments. Security teams must remain vigilant and adapt their strategies to address these evolving threats.
This vulnerability represents a pattern in the exploitation of synchronization issues, highlighting the need for rigorous testing of concurrent processes. Organizations should learn from this incident to enhance their security posture.
To further fortify defenses, security teams can benefit from resources on penetration testing methodology, best practices in vulnerability management, and techniques for API security to mitigate future vulnerabilities.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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