External risk intelligence

Samsung Exynos Wi-Fi Driver Buffer Overflow

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.8)

CVE-2025-52908

The vulnerability exists in a low-level Wi-Fi driver within specific mobile and wearable processors. These components are integrated into consumer end-user devices. The attack surface is localized to the physical device's interaction with the wireless radio environment, not a public-facing network service, edge gateway, or externally reachable application infrastructure.

Buffer Overflow

Samsung Exynos W1000 Firmware

Halo Surface Signal: 1 out of 5 — much less likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

A critical vulnerability has been identified in the Wi-Fi driver for certain Samsung mobile and wearable processors. This issue, stemming from improper handling of specific commands, could allow for unauthorized access and manipulation of device functions. The primary concern at this time is to confirm if these processors are utilized within the organization's technology landscape.

A Wi-Fi driver flaw affects certain Samsung processors.
Leadership should track potential impact on devices.
Confirm relevance and exposure to affected systems.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted ioctl message over Wi-Fi to a vulnerable device. This message would trigger a buffer overflow in the Wi-Fi driver, potentially allowing the attacker to gain control of the device.

No authentication or special access needed.
Triggered by sending a malicious Wi-Fi command.
Could lead to device compromise.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

This vulnerability could impact the integrity and availability of devices utilizing specific Samsung Exynos processors. An attacker could trigger a buffer overflow by sending a specially crafted ioctl message, potentially leading to system instability or code execution when the Wi-Fi driver improperly handles NL80211 vendor commands.

Device Wi-Fi driver integrity.
Network-based buffer overflow attack.
Potential denial-of-service or code execution.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability impacts Samsung Exynos mobile and wearable processors, likely affecting end-user devices. The first practical step is to identify these devices, determine their network reachability and business criticality, and then confirm ownership with the responsible team, possibly within product engineering or device management, to plan a coordinated remediation.

Device owners should confirm affected assets.
Verify external network exposure and business criticality.
Plan vendor-coordinated updates or mitigations.

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Samsung Exynos firmware affected by this vulnerability?

These are low-level software components responsible for managing the Wi-Fi radio hardware inside various Samsung mobile and wearable processors, such as the Exynos 1580, 1480, 1380, 1330, 1280, 980, 850, W1000, W930, and W920. This firmware acts as the translator between the operating system's networking requests and the physical wireless hardware, ensuring that the device can correctly communicate with Wi-Fi networks.

How does this buffer overflow weakness function?

This vulnerability is classified as a buffer overflow (CWE-120). It occurs when the Wi-Fi driver receives more data than it can handle in a specific memory area while processing an NL80211 vendor command. Because the driver fails to properly validate the input size of the incoming ioctl message, the extra data can overwrite adjacent memory, potentially corrupting system operations or allowing for unauthorized command execution.

What specific action triggers the buffer overflow?

The flaw is triggered when a device receives a specially crafted ioctl (input/output control) message designed to exploit the faulty command handling. Crucially, the vulnerability does not trigger during standard, well-formed wireless data traffic or routine network connectivity. It requires a malformed message specifically targeting the driver's handling of vendor-specific commands to initiate the buffer overflow.

Is my device at risk based on Halo Surface Signal?

According to Halo Surface Signal, risk is very unlikely because this vulnerability exists within consumer end-user hardware, not public-facing network services. The attack surface is restricted to the device's immediate wireless radio environment rather than an externally reachable application or gateway. It is not an issue affecting server infrastructure accessible over the internet.

What are the first steps to manage this Samsung vulnerability?

Begin by creating an inventory of devices in your environment that utilize the listed Exynos processors. Coordinate with your mobile or device management teams to verify which units are in use. Since these are typically end-user devices, monitor official Samsung security update channels for firmware patches, which are the standard method for resolving driver-level issues.

References

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.