CVE-2025-20701 in Bluetooth
Summary
by MITRE • 08/04/2025
In the Airoha Bluetooth audio SDK, there is a possible way to pair Bluetooth audio device without user consent. This could lead to remote escalation of privilege with no additional execution privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-20701 resides within the Airoha Bluetooth audio SDK, a widely utilized software development kit for Bluetooth audio device implementations. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that fundamentally undermines the authentication and pairing mechanisms inherent to Bluetooth protocols. The vulnerability allows for unauthorized Bluetooth device pairing to occur without any user consent or interaction, effectively bypassing the established security controls designed to protect against unauthorized access to audio devices. This represents a significant deviation from standard Bluetooth security practices where user confirmation is mandatory for device pairing operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of pairing requests within the Bluetooth audio SDK implementation. The flaw enables an attacker to establish a Bluetooth connection and pair with a target device without requiring any user intervention, effectively creating a backdoor access mechanism. This condition manifests as a failure in the authentication flow where the system does not properly verify that the pairing request originates from an authorized source or requires explicit user approval before completing the pairing process. The vulnerability operates at the protocol level where the SDK fails to enforce proper security policies during the Bluetooth pairing procedure, allowing for automated pairing scenarios that should never occur without user consent.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access to Bluetooth audio devices. Since no additional execution privileges are required for exploitation, an attacker can achieve remote privilege escalation simply by initiating a Bluetooth pairing request to a vulnerable device. This capability transforms what should be a controlled access scenario into a potential entry point for broader system compromise. The absence of user interaction requirements makes this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it can be exploited silently in the background without any warning to the device owner. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can initiate pairing attempts from anywhere within Bluetooth range, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, audio monitoring, or even device control.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK framework techniques including T1133 for External Remote Services and T1071 for Application Layer Protocol. The vulnerability represents a failure in the principle of least privilege where the system allows for pairing operations that should require explicit user authorization. The CWE mapping for this vulnerability would likely fall under CWE-613 which describes Insufficient Session Expiration or CWE-306 which covers Missing Authentication for Critical Function. Organizations implementing Airoha Bluetooth audio SDKs face significant risk of unauthorized device access and potential data breaches, especially in environments where Bluetooth audio devices are used for sensitive communications or as part of critical infrastructure components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-20701 should focus on immediate firmware updates from Airoha to address the pairing validation flaw. System administrators must implement strict Bluetooth access controls and disable unnecessary pairing functionality when not required. Network segmentation and monitoring of Bluetooth traffic can help detect unauthorized pairing attempts. The vulnerability requires patching at the SDK level, as the flaw exists within the core pairing implementation logic. Organizations should also consider implementing Bluetooth device whitelisting and regular security audits of Bluetooth-enabled devices to prevent exploitation. Additionally, users should be educated about the risks of unattended Bluetooth device pairing and the importance of disabling Bluetooth when not actively using audio devices.