CVE-2025-48706 in PACE 3
Summary
by MITRE • 06/20/2025
An issue was discovered in COROS PACE 3 through 3.0808.0. Due to an out-of-bounds read vulnerability, sending a crafted BLE message forces the device to reboot.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-48706 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within COROS PACE 3 fitness tracking devices running firmware versions through 3.0808.0. This issue stems from improper input validation mechanisms within the Bluetooth Low Energy communication stack, where the device fails to adequately sanitize incoming BLE messages before processing them. The flaw manifests when a malicious actor crafts a specially designed BLE packet that triggers memory access violations, causing the device to crash and subsequently reboot. This vulnerability resides within the device's wireless communication processing module, which handles all incoming BLE advertisements and data packets from compatible smartphones and other Bluetooth devices.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions where an application accesses memory beyond the boundaries of a buffer. The device's firmware does not perform adequate bounds checking on received BLE data structures, particularly within the packet parsing routines that handle advertisement data and service discovery requests. When a malformed BLE message is received, the parsing logic attempts to read memory locations that are outside the allocated buffer space, leading to unpredictable behavior and system instability. The reboot occurs as a result of the operating system's memory protection mechanisms detecting the invalid memory access and triggering a system reset to prevent potential exploitation.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant security implications for users who rely on their COROS PACE 3 devices for training and athletic monitoring. The device reboot condition can occur at any time during a workout session, potentially causing loss of valuable training data, GPS tracking information, and performance metrics. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable via Bluetooth, meaning an attacker within BLE range can trigger the device to restart without requiring physical access or additional authentication. This makes the device particularly vulnerable in public environments where adversaries might attempt to disrupt athletic activities or gain unauthorized access to device functionality. The impact extends beyond simple inconvenience, as the device may be rendered temporarily unusable during critical training periods or competitions, potentially affecting athletic performance and training consistency.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate firmware updates from COROS to address the bounds checking deficiencies in the BLE processing code. System administrators and users should implement network segmentation to limit BLE exposure in enterprise environments and consider disabling unnecessary BLE services when not actively pairing with mobile devices. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1566, which involves the use of malicious payloads to exploit vulnerabilities in target systems. Organizations should monitor for suspicious BLE activity patterns and implement device monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, users should maintain awareness of their device's operational status and regularly update firmware to protect against known vulnerabilities. The remediation process should involve thorough testing of updated firmware to ensure that the bounds checking mechanisms properly validate all incoming BLE data before processing, preventing similar out-of-bounds access conditions from occurring in future scenarios.