CVE-2025-66365 in Exynos 1080
Summary
by MITRE • 11/05/2026
Incorrect handling of SIP packets leads to baseband crashes
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/05/2026
The vulnerability described involves an incorrect handling mechanism for Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) packets within the cellular modem or baseband processor firmware, resulting in system instability and subsequent crashes. This flaw typically resides in the protocol stack implementation responsible for parsing and processing signaling messages used to establish, manage, and terminate multimedia communication sessions over IP networks. When a device receives SIP traffic that deviates from expected formatting or contains malformed fields, the underlying software fails to validate inputs correctly before attempting to process them. Instead of gracefully rejecting the invalid packet or returning an error code, the baseband processor encounters an unrecoverable state, often due to memory corruption, null pointer dereference, or stack overflow conditions triggered by the unexpected data structure. This behavior indicates a fundamental lack of robust input validation and boundary checking within the critical communication subsystems that manage voice over LTE (VoLTE) or Voice over New Radio (VoNR) services.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to device availability and user experience. A successful exploitation does not necessarily require remote code execution; rather, it relies on inducing a denial of service condition by sending specifically crafted SIP packets that trigger the crash sequence. This can be achieved through man-in-the-middle attacks where an adversary intercepts signaling traffic or via direct network access if the baseband interface is exposed to untrusted networks. The immediate consequence is a hard reset or freeze of the cellular radio, effectively disconnecting the device from the mobile network and rendering voice and data services unavailable until power is cycled. In enterprise environments or critical infrastructure relying on uninterrupted connectivity for emergency communications, such instability can lead to severe operational disruptions. Furthermore, repeated crashes may cause wear-leveling issues in flash memory if the reset process involves frequent re-initialization of storage components, potentially shortening the hardware lifespan over time.
The technical classification of this flaw aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) standards, specifically CWE-20: Improper Input Validation and CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write or Access if memory corruption is involved in the crash mechanism. These weaknesses are prevalent in embedded systems where performance optimization sometimes comes at the cost of rigorous security checks. The attack vector corresponds to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to Denial of Service, particularly those targeting network services and application layer protocols. Attackers can leverage this weakness as part of a broader campaign to disrupt communications or potentially probe for further vulnerabilities by observing system behavior after triggering crashes. Understanding the specific SIP method affected, such as INVITE, BYE, or REGISTER, allows security teams to identify which signaling flows are most susceptible and prioritize mitigation efforts accordingly.
Mitigation strategies must focus on hardening the baseband firmware and improving network-level defenses. Manufacturers should implement strict schema validation for all incoming SIP messages, ensuring that field lengths, data types, and structural integrity meet RFC standards before processing begins. Utilizing fuzzing techniques during development can help identify edge cases where input handling fails. Additionally, deploying intrusion detection systems at the network perimeter to filter out malformed SIP traffic can prevent malicious packets from reaching vulnerable devices. For end-users, keeping device firmware updated is crucial as vendors release patches that address these low-level protocol stack errors. In scenarios involving VoLTE or 5G voice services, configuring network operators to enforce stricter signaling validation on their core networks provides an additional layer of defense, reducing the attack surface available to external adversaries attempting to exploit this baseband vulnerability.