Remote privilege escalation via incorrect modem bounds check
Published Sep 1, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026
Out-of-bounds write in MediaTek Modem NR15, NR16, NR17, and NR17R allows remote attackers to escalate privileges via a rogue base station. The modem applies an incorrect bounds check before writing attacker-controlled data, allowing a write past the intended buffer. Exploitation requires the UE to connect to an attacker-controlled base station, but needs no existing privileges or user interaction.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds write in MediaTek Modem NR15, NR16, NR17, and NR17R allows remote attackers to escalate privileges via a rogue base station. The modem applies an incorrect bounds check before writing attacker-controlled data, allowing a write past the intended buffer. Exploitation requires the UE to connect to an attacker-controlled base station, but needs no existing privileges or user interaction.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-20708
- Published
- Sep 1, 2025
- Updated
- Feb 26, 2026
- Vendor
- Unknown vendor
- Product
- Unknown product
- Classifications
- CWE-787, T1664
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 1, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 26, 2026Record 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?
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.
Published CVSS scores
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.
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
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo