CVE-2022-25661 in Android
Summary
by MITRE • 10/19/2022
Memory corruption due to untrusted pointer dereference in kernel in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/06/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical memory corruption issue affecting multiple Qualcomm Snapdragon product lines including automotive, compute, consumer iot, industrial iot, and mobile platforms. The flaw manifests as an untrusted pointer dereference within kernel space components, creating a potential pathway for arbitrary code execution and system compromise. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of pointer values before dereferencing operations, allowing malicious actors to manipulate kernel memory structures through crafted inputs or system interactions. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-476 category of NULL Pointer Dereference, though the specific kernel context elevates its severity significantly. The impact extends across all affected Snapdragon product categories, indicating a fundamental flaw in the kernel implementation that affects diverse hardware platforms.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when kernel code attempts to dereference a pointer that has not been properly validated or sanitized. Attackers can potentially craft inputs or manipulate system conditions to cause the kernel to follow an invalid memory reference, leading to memory corruption that may result in privilege escalation, system crashes, or complete system compromise. The untrusted pointer dereference typically occurs in kernel drivers or system call handlers where user-supplied data is processed without adequate validation. This creates a persistent threat vector that could be exploited through various attack surfaces including network protocols, file system operations, or device drivers that interact with user-space applications. The vulnerability's presence in kernel space means that successful exploitation could provide attackers with elevated privileges and direct access to system resources.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-25661 is substantial across all affected Snapdragon platforms, potentially enabling attackers to achieve persistent system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive data. Devices utilizing these processors may become vulnerable to remote code execution attacks, leading to complete system takeover and potential data exfiltration. The vulnerability affects automotive systems where safety-critical functions may be compromised, consumer devices where personal data resides, and industrial IoT systems where operational integrity is paramount. The widespread nature of affected product lines suggests that this vulnerability could impact millions of devices globally, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. Organizations must consider the potential for supply chain attacks and the broader implications for device security and integrity.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch deployment from Qualcomm and system administrators must prioritize updating affected devices to prevent exploitation. The recommended approach includes implementing kernel memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries, kernel address space layout randomization, and enhanced input validation procedures. Organizations should also consider network segmentation and monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts, while maintaining awareness of related threats in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and kernel-mode exploitation techniques. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be implemented to identify unpatched systems, and incident response procedures must be established to handle potential exploitation events. Additionally, organizations should review their device lifecycle management policies to ensure timely patch deployment across all affected platforms and consider implementing runtime protection mechanisms to detect and prevent exploitation attempts.