{"id":"CVE-2021-25489","kind":"vulnerability","aliases":["CVE-2021-25489"],"related":[],"title":"samsung android: Assuming radio permission is gained, missing input validation in modem interface driver prior to SMR Oct-2021…","description":"Samsung mobile devices contain an improper input validation vulnerability within the modem interface driver that results in a format string bug leading to kernel panic.\n\nCISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if updates are unavailable","summary":"Samsung mobile devices have an improper input validation flaw in the modem interface driver that leads to a format string bug. The sources say it causes a kernel panic, and CISA lists it as known to be exploited in the wild.","severity":"medium","cvss":5.5,"epss":null,"exploited":true,"exploited_at":"2023-06-29T00:00:00+00:00","products":[{"name":"Samsung Mobile Devices","fixed":[],"affected":"","ecosystem":"vendor"},{"name":"samsung android","fixed":[],"affected":"= 8.1","ecosystem":"vendor"},{"name":"samsung android","fixed":[],"affected":"= 9.0","ecosystem":"vendor"},{"name":"samsung android","fixed":[],"affected":"= 10.0","ecosystem":"vendor"},{"name":"samsung android","fixed":[],"affected":"= 11.0","ecosystem":"vendor"}],"ecosystems":["vendor"],"tags":["android","exploited","infrastructure","mobile-devices","samsung"],"not_affected_if":["unknown"],"how_to_check":"Check the device's security patch level under Settings > About phone > Software information. unknown for the exact affected builds.","fix":"Apply the latest Samsung security update for the device, per vendor instructions. If no update is available, stop using the affected device.","status":"open","published_at":"2021-10-06T18:15:09+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00","triaged_at":"2026-10-23T21:06:26+00:00","updated_at":"2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00","category":"infrastructure","confidence":0.4,"triage":{"at":"2026-10-23T21:06:26Z","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","output":{"fix":"Apply the latest Samsung security update for the device, per vendor instructions. If no update is available, stop using the affected device.","reach":"unknown","impact":"medium","summary":"Samsung mobile devices have an improper input validation flaw in the modem interface driver that leads to a format string bug. The sources say it causes a kernel panic, and CISA lists it as known to be exploited in the wild.","category":"infrastructure","who_cares":["samsung","android","mobile-devices"],"confidence":0.4,"needs_auth":"unknown","worst_case":"Device kernel crashes; sources do not confirm code execution.","analyst_note":"Sources give no affected models, fixed builds, or attack vector; check the Samsung security bulletin for the CVE-2021-25489 entry and the exact patched patch levels.","how_to_check":"Check the device's security patch level under Settings > About phone > Software information. unknown for the exact affected builds.","needs_analyst":true,"not_affected_if":["unknown"],"user_interaction":"unknown","needs_special_setup":"unknown","severity_if_unknown":"high"},"cost_usd":0.000472,"input_tokens":2810,"output_tokens":381,"severity_before":"unknown"},"analyst_status":null,"analyst_note":null,"search":"'-2021':19A,21A,24A '-25489':22A,25A 'action':112C 'android':2A,30A,32A,34A,36A,37B 'appli':113C 'assum':3A 'bug':64B,105C 'caus':69B 'cisa':74B,110C 'contain':88C 'cve':20A,23A 'devic':42B,46B,87C 'devices':28A 'discontinu':119C 'driver':14A,57B,98C 'exploit':38B,81B 'flaw':52B 'format':62B,103C 'gain':7A 'improp':49B,90C 'infrastructur':39B 'input':9A,50B,91C 'instruct':117C 'interfac':13A,56B,97C 'kernel':71B,108C 'known':78B 'lead':59B,106C 'list':75B 'miss':8A 'mobil':41B,45B,86C 'mobile':27A 'mobile-devic':40B 'modem':12A,55B,96C 'oct':18A 'panic':72B,109C 'per':115C 'permiss':5A 'prior':15A 'product':123C 'radio':4A 'requir':111C 'result':100C 'samsung':1A,26A,29A,31A,33A,35A,43B,44B,85C 'say':67B 'smr':17A 'sourc':66B 'string':63B,104C 'unavail':127C 'updat':114C,125C 'use':120C 'valid':10A,51B,92C 'vendor':116C 'vulner':93C 'wild':84B 'within':94C","nicknames":[],"mitigations":[],"who_affected":null,"tier":null,"verified":{},"analyst_revisit_at":null,"first_public_at":"2021-10-06T18:15:09+00:00","kev":{"dateAdded":"2023-06-29","dueDate":"2023-07-20","requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if updates are unavailable","knownRansomwareCampaignUse":"Unknown"},"cvss_vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L","cvss_by":"mobile.security@samsung.com","poc_count":0,"sources":[{"source":"kev","external_id":"CVE-2021-25489","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2021-25489","severity":null,"published_at":"2023-06-29T00:00:00+00:00","modified_at":null,"first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-25T10:39:05+00:00","note":null},{"source":"nvd","external_id":"CVE-2021-25489","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-25489","severity":null,"published_at":"2021-10-06T18:15:09+00:00","modified_at":"2026-06-17T03:42:10+00:00","first_seen_at":"2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00","fetched_at":"2026-10-23T22:29:04+00:00","note":null}],"documents":[],"notice":"Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai"}