CVE-2025-21069 in Notes
Summary
by MITRE • 10/10/2025
Out-of-bounds read in the parsing of image data in Samsung Notes prior to version 4.4.30.63 allows local attackers to access out-of-bounds memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-21069 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within Samsung Notes application's image data parsing functionality. This issue affects versions prior to 4.4.30.63 and specifically targets the application's handling of image files during the parsing process. The flaw manifests when the application attempts to process image data structures without proper bounds checking, creating a scenario where memory access occurs beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of memory safety issues and is classified as a CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read according to the Common Weakness Enumeration standards. The vulnerability exists in the application's image processing pipeline where it fails to validate the size or structure of incoming image data before attempting to parse and render it.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory access violations as it creates potential entry points for local attackers to extract sensitive information from the application's memory space. When an attacker successfully triggers this out-of-bounds read condition, they can potentially access adjacent memory locations that may contain confidential data, application state information, or even cryptographic keys. The attack vector requires local system access since the vulnerability exists within a mobile application context where the attacker already has execution privileges on the device. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning in environments where Samsung Notes is used for business or sensitive personal information management, as it could expose data that would otherwise remain protected within the application's memory boundaries.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1555.003 Credentials from Password Stores, as local attackers could potentially leverage the out-of-bounds read to extract sensitive information from memory. The vulnerability's exploitation requires crafting malicious image files that trigger the specific parsing flaw, making it a targeted attack rather than a broad-based exploit. However, the impact remains significant due to the potential for information disclosure and the ease with which local attackers can manipulate application data. The vulnerability demonstrates poor defensive programming practices in the application's input validation and memory management routines, indicating a need for improved bounds checking mechanisms and more robust error handling in the image parsing subsystem.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-21069 should prioritize immediate application updates to version 4.4.30.63 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the out-of-bounds read condition. Organizations should implement additional security controls including mobile device management policies that enforce application update compliance and restrict the execution of untrusted image files within the application context. The fix should include comprehensive bounds checking mechanisms that validate all image data structures before processing, implementing proper buffer size verification and array indexing validation. Security teams should also consider monitoring for anomalous memory access patterns and implement runtime protections such as address space layout randomization and data execution prevention to limit the potential impact of similar vulnerabilities. Additionally, developers should adopt secure coding practices that emphasize input validation and memory safety, particularly when handling file parsing operations and user-supplied data in mobile applications.