Samsung Mobile Devices Improper Boundary Check Vulnerability (CVE‑2021‑25372)
What It Is
Samsung’s mobile devices contain an improper boundary‑check flaw in the Digital Signal Processor (DSP) driver. The defect permits out‑of‑bounds memory access, which can be leveraged to corrupt memory and potentially execute arbitrary code on the device.
Exploitability
The vulnerability is rated High (CVSS ≥ 7.0). No public proof‑of‑concept or confirmed active exploitation has been reported, but the nature of the flaw makes it attractive for targeted attacks, especially on devices that expose the DSP interface to untrusted inputs.
Affected Products
All Samsung‑branded mobile devices that ship with the vulnerable DSP driver (including flagship and mid‑range models released prior to the vendor’s patch).
Why It Matters for Compliance & Audit Readiness
- Vendor‑Management Controls – Maintaining a defensible inventory of approved devices and confirming that each is patched aligns with continuous control monitoring requirements.
- Access‑Control Assurance – An out‑of‑bounds memory write can bypass OS‑level protections, undermining the integrity of data‑at‑rest and data‑in‑transit. Demonstrating that controls are in place to detect and remediate such flaws supports audit evidence for frameworks like NIST CSF and ISO 27001.
- Evidence‑Based Risk Posture – Documenting patch status, remediation timelines, and monitoring for anomalous DSP activity creates a traceable audit trail that evidences due diligence and risk‑based decision‑making.
Recommended Actions
- Inventory & Prioritization – Identify all Samsung mobile devices in your environment and map them against the vendor’s patch release schedule.
- Patch Management – Apply Samsung’s security update that addresses CVE‑2021‑25372 as soon as it is available; if a patch is not yet released, isolate affected devices from untrusted networks.
- Monitoring & Detection – Enable logging for DSP driver interactions and deploy mobile‑endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to flag anomalous memory‑access patterns.
- Control Documentation – Record remediation steps, update device‑security policies, and retain evidence of compliance for audit reviews.
- User Awareness – Communicate the risk to device users and reinforce best practices (e.g., avoiding installation of unverified apps that may interact with low‑level drivers).
Source: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-25372