CVE-2025-20965 in Bixby Voice Wake-up
Summary
by MITRE • 05/07/2025
Improper handling of insufficient permission in Bixby wakeup prior to version 2.3.74.8 allows local attackers to access sensitive data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-20965 represents a critical security flaw in the Bixby wakeup functionality of Samsung mobile devices. This issue affects versions prior to 2.3.74.8 and stems from improper handling of insufficient permissions during the Bixby wakeup process. The vulnerability resides within the operating system's permission management framework where the system fails to adequately validate user permissions before granting access to sensitive data through the Bixby voice assistant wakeup mechanism. This flaw creates an exploitable condition that allows local attackers with minimal privileges to bypass normal access controls and obtain unauthorized access to protected information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability demonstrates a classic permission escalation issue that aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms. During the Bixby wakeup process, the system should enforce strict permission checks to ensure that only authorized applications and users can trigger the assistant functionality and access associated data. However, the flaw allows malicious applications or processes running with lower privileges to exploit the insufficient validation checks and gain access to sensitive information typically protected by the device's security model. The vulnerability specifically impacts the Bixby wakeup feature, which operates as a background service that listens for voice commands and activates the assistant when specific triggers are detected.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to device security and user privacy. Local attackers can leverage this flaw to access sensitive data including personal communications, contact information, location data, and other protected content that may be accessible through the Bixby interface. The attack vector requires local system access, making it particularly concerning for devices that may be compromised through other attack vectors or for users who inadvertently grant unnecessary permissions to malicious applications. The impact extends beyond simple data theft as the vulnerability could potentially enable further exploitation through privilege escalation attacks or serve as a foothold for more sophisticated malware deployment.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of ATT&CK framework category T1068, which addresses local privilege escalation techniques. The vulnerability creates opportunities for attackers to move laterally within the device environment and potentially compromise additional system resources. Organizations and individuals should prioritize immediate patching of affected devices to address this vulnerability, as the timeframe for exploitation remains uncertain and could be extended by attackers who discover and weaponize the flaw. The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to version 2.3.74.8 or later, which includes proper permission validation and access control mechanisms that prevent unauthorized data access through the Bixby wakeup functionality. Additionally, users should exercise caution when granting permissions to applications and maintain regular security updates to protect against similar vulnerabilities in other system components.