CVE-2025-20930 in Notes
Summary
by MITRE • 03/06/2025
Out-of-bounds read in parsing jpeg image in Samsung Notes prior to version 4.4.26.71 allows local attackers to read out-of-bounds memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-20930 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw discovered in Samsung Notes application versions prior to 4.4.26.71. This security weakness specifically manifests during the processing of jpeg image files within the application's image parsing functionality. The flaw enables local attackers to exploit memory access violations that occur when the application attempts to read data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries during jpeg file interpretation. Such out-of-bounds memory access represents a fundamental breakdown in input validation and memory management practices within the affected software component.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient bounds checking mechanisms during jpeg image parsing operations. When Samsung Notes processes jpeg files, the application fails to properly validate the size and structure of image data before attempting to read specific memory locations. This inadequate validation allows an attacker to craft malicious jpeg files that, when processed by the vulnerable application, trigger memory access violations. The out-of-bounds read can potentially expose sensitive data from adjacent memory locations, including application state information, user credentials, or other confidential data stored in memory. This type of vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-129, which specifically addresses insufficient validation of length of buffers, and aligns with CWE-787 which covers out-of-bounds write operations that can lead to memory corruption.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as local attackers can leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized access to memory contents that may contain sensitive information. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that Samsung Notes is a widely used application for note-taking and document management, making it an attractive target for threat actors seeking to access user data or establish persistent access to affected devices. The local privilege escalation potential increases significantly since attackers can manipulate the application's memory state to extract valuable information or potentially execute arbitrary code. This vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 which covers command and scripting interpreter usage, as malicious actors could potentially use the memory read access to discover system information or application-specific data that could aid in further exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-20930 primarily focus on immediate application updates to version 4.4.26.71 or later, which contain proper bounds checking mechanisms and memory validation routines. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all instances of Samsung Notes are updated promptly across all affected devices. Additionally, security teams should consider implementing runtime monitoring to detect anomalous memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust input validation practices and proper memory management in image processing libraries, emphasizing the need for thorough security testing of multimedia handling components. Network administrators should also consider implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict execution of untrusted jpeg files through Samsung Notes, while security researchers should monitor for similar vulnerabilities in other image processing libraries that may exhibit similar memory access pattern issues.