CVE-2021-25458

Kernel crash via uninitialized ION buffer pointer

Published Sep 9, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

NULL pointer dereference in Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR Sep-2021 Release 1 allows local users to crash the device kernel. The Exynos ion_iovmm_map fast path treats an uninitialized rbin-heap buffer field as a protected-buffer metadata pointer and dereferences it. An untrusted application with access to the ION and DSP device nodes can supply the crafted buffer, causing a kernel panic and service interruption.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability0.12%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in Samsung Mobile Devices before SMR Sep-2021 Release 1 allows local users to crash the device kernel. The Exynos ion_iovmm_map fast path treats an uninitialized rbin-heap buffer field as a protected-buffer metadata pointer and dereferences it. An untrusted application with access to the ION and DSP device nodes can supply the crafted buffer, causing a kernel panic and service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-25458
Published
Sep 9, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Product
Samsung Mobile Devices
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Sep 9, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=O(8.1), P(9.0), Q(10.0) , R(11.0) devices with Exynos chipsets <SMR Sep-2021 Release 1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. · Samsung Mobile Devicesversion=O(8.1), P(9.0), Q(10.0) , R(11.0) devices with Exynos chipsets <SMR Sep-2021 Release 1

Published CVSS scores

2.1NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
3.3Samsung MobileCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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