CVE-2021-25489 — Samsung Mobile Devices Improper Input Validation Vulnerability

Assuming radio permission is gained, missing input validation in modem interface driver prior to SMR Oct-2021 Release 1 results in format string bug leading to kernel panic.

01What is this vulnerability?

Assuming radio permission is gained, missing input validation in modem interface driver prior to SMR Oct-2021 Release 1 results in format string bug leading to kernel panic.

02Affected products

Vendor	Product	Versions
Samsung Mobile	Samsung Mobile Devices	O(8.1), P(9.0), Q(10.0), R(11.0)

03Active exploitation status

Yes — actively exploited. Added to the CISA KEV catalog on 2023-06-29. Ransomware use: Unknown.

04Recommended remediation

• Patch to a fixed version listed in the vendor advisory (see references below).
• Mitigate with WAF rules, network egress filters, or feature flags where the patch is not yet available.
• Hunt historical logs for exploitation indicators — see Detection signatures below.

05Technical details

For the full vendor write-up, exploit chains, and reference implementations, see the references list in section 09.

06Detection signatures

Open the Sigma generator with a pre-filled prompt for this CVE to draft a starting detection in your stack of choice:

Open in Sigma generator →

07Related CVEs

No directly-cited follow-up CVEs in the KB record for this advisory. The references list in section 09 carries the vendor cross-references.

08Timeline

• Published: 2021-10-06T17:10:39.000Z
• Last modified: 2025-10-21T23:25:30.375Z
• Added to CISA KEV: 2023-06-29
• BOD 22-01 due: 2023-07-20

09References

• security.samsungmobile.com — https://security.samsungmobile.com/securityUpdate.smsb?year=2021&month=10