CVE-2025-20659
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in MediaTek modems allows remote denial of service through improper input validation. An attacker can crash the system by connecting a user device to a rogue base station without requiring user interaction or additional privileges. All devices using affected MediaTek modem chipsets are potentially vulnerable.
💻 Affected Systems
- MediaTek modem chipsets
📦 What is this software?
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system crash requiring device reboot, potentially disrupting cellular connectivity and device functionality until restart.
Likely Case
Temporary denial of cellular service requiring device reboot to restore connectivity.
If Mitigated
No impact if patched or if device cannot connect to rogue base stations.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires attacker to operate rogue base station and have target device connect to it. No user interaction needed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Patch ID: MOLY01519028
Vendor Advisory: https://corp.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/April-2025
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check with device manufacturer for firmware updates. 2. Apply MediaTek modem firmware patch MOLY01519028. 3. Reboot device after patch installation.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable automatic network selection
allManually select trusted network operators to prevent connection to rogue base stations
Use Wi-Fi when available
allDisable cellular data when on trusted Wi-Fi networks to reduce exposure
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Monitor for unusual cellular network behavior or frequent disconnections
- Implement network monitoring for rogue base station detection in enterprise environments
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check modem firmware version against MediaTek security bulletin. Contact device manufacturer for specific vulnerability status.Check Version:
Device-specific commands vary by manufacturer. Typically in Settings > About Phone > Baseband VersionVerify Fix Applied:
Verify patch MOLY01519028 is installed in modem firmware. Check with device manufacturer for patch verification method.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unexpected modem crashes
- Cellular service disconnections
- Baseband processor errors
Network Indicators:
- Connections to unknown base stations
- Unusual cellular network behavior
SIEM Query:
Not applicable - detection primarily at modem/baseband level