CVE-2021-25489
Samsung Android 10.0 … 9.0
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:LCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2021-25489 is a low-severity Improper Input Validation (CWE-20) vulnerability in Samsung Android. Its CVSS base score is 3.3 (Low).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique LSASS Memory (T1003.001); ranked at the 43th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); CISA has added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2021-25489 is a format string vulnerability resulting from missing input validation in the modem interface driver on affected Samsung devices. The flaw, present prior to the SMR Oct-2021 Release 1, is tracked under CWE-20 and CWE-134 and can be triggered when radio permissions have already been obtained, ultimately causing a kernel panic.
An attacker with local access and the ability to exercise radio permissions can supply malicious input to the driver, leading to denial of service through the resulting kernel panic. The CVSS 3.3 score reflects limited impact consisting solely of low availability loss with no confidentiality or integrity effects.
Samsung's October 2021 security bulletin addresses the issue via the SMR Oct-2021 Release 1 update. The vulnerability is also catalogued by CISA as one known to have been exploited in the wild.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2021-12385
Vulnerability Data
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.
- CWE(s)
- KEV Date Added
- 29 June 2023
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Security testing and developer training directly verify and enforce proper input validation, reducing exploitability of injection and malformed-data weaknesses.
Security testing and evaluation at multiple SDLC stages directly detects missing or flawed input validation, with the required remediation process ensuring fixes are applied.
Directly implements checks on information inputs to reject invalid data before processing.
Spam protection mechanisms perform filtering and detection on inbound/outbound messages, directly compensating for missing or weak input validation of unsolicited content.
Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
Hardening callouts derived
DISA STIG baselines are authored against specific weaknesses. Where this CVE cites a broad weakness class, the mapping is not asserted at that abstraction (owner ruling, 2026-09-25: grade only at Base and below), so no rule is shown here rather than a rule shown against the wrong grain.
- No fine-grained STIG row for CWE-20, a class-level weakness, and none of its children carries one either.