CVE-2025-21422

Q: What is the severity of CVE-2025-21422?

CVE-2025-21422 has a CVSS score of 7.1 (HIGH). This cryptographic vulnerability in Qualcomm chipsets allows improper handling of cryptographic API calls, potentially leading to key corruption or IV reuse. This affects devices using vulnerable Qualcomm hardware components, primarily mobile devices and IoT products. Attackers could exploit this to weaken encryption protections.

7.1 HIGH

📋 TL;DR

This cryptographic vulnerability in Qualcomm chipsets allows improper handling of cryptographic API calls, potentially leading to key corruption or IV reuse. This affects devices using vulnerable Qualcomm hardware components, primarily mobile devices and IoT products. Attackers could exploit this to weaken encryption protections.

💻 Affected Systems

Products:

Qualcomm chipsets with cryptographic processing units

Versions: Specific chipset models and firmware versions listed in Qualcomm advisory

Operating Systems: Android, Linux-based IoT systems using affected chipsets

Default Config Vulnerable: ⚠️ Yes

Notes: Vulnerability exists at hardware/firmware level, affecting all software running on vulnerable chipsets regardless of OS configuration.

📦 What is this software?

⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact

🔴

Worst Case

Complete compromise of encrypted communications, allowing decryption of sensitive data or injection of malicious content into secure channels.

🟠

Likely Case

Partial encryption bypass enabling data interception or manipulation in specific scenarios, particularly affecting mobile applications and network traffic.

🟢

If Mitigated

Limited impact with proper network segmentation and encryption at higher protocol layers, though underlying hardware vulnerability remains.

🌐 Internet-Facing: MEDIUM

🏢 Internal Only: MEDIUM

🎯 Exploit Status

Public PoC: ✅ No

Weaponized: UNKNOWN

Unauthenticated Exploit: ✅ No

Complexity: HIGH

Exploitation requires deep understanding of cryptographic implementations and chipset architecture. No public exploits known at this time.

🛠️ Fix & Mitigation

✅ Official Fix

Patch Version: Firmware updates specified in Qualcomm July 2025 security bulletin

Vendor Advisory: https://docs.qualcomm.com/product/publicresources/securitybulletin/july-2025-bulletin.html

Restart Required: Yes

Instructions:

1. Check device manufacturer for firmware updates. 2. Apply Qualcomm-provided firmware patches. 3. Reboot device. 4. Verify patch installation through device settings or manufacturer tools.

🔧 Temporary Workarounds

Implement application-layer encryption

all

Add additional encryption at application level to mitigate hardware-level vulnerabilities

Network segmentation

all

Isolate devices with vulnerable chipsets from sensitive networks

🧯 If You Can't Patch

Deploy network monitoring for unusual cryptographic patterns
Implement strict access controls and limit device functionality

🔍 How to Verify

Check if Vulnerable:

Check device specifications against Qualcomm advisory list of affected chipsets

Check Version:

Device-specific commands vary by manufacturer (e.g., Android: Settings > About phone > Build number)

Verify Fix Applied:

Verify firmware version matches or exceeds patched versions in Qualcomm bulletin

📡 Detection & Monitoring

Log Indicators:

Cryptographic operation failures
Unusual key generation patterns
IV reuse warnings

Network Indicators:

Repeated initialization vectors in encrypted traffic
Abnormal cryptographic handshake patterns

SIEM Query:

Search for cryptographic error codes or failed encryption operations in device logs

📊 Metadata

CVE ID: CVE-2025-21422

CVSS v3 Score: 7.1 (HIGH)

CVSS Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N

CWE: CWE-310

EPSS Score: 0.01% exploit probability (2.2th percentile)

Published: July 8, 2025

Last Updated: August 11, 2025

🔗 References

https://docs.qualcomm.com/product/publicresources/securitybulletin/july-2025-bulletin.html Vendor Advisory

📋 TL;DR

💻 Affected Systems

📦 What is this software?

Aqt1000 Firmware by Qualcomm

Ar8035 Firmware by Qualcomm

Fastconnect 6200 Firmware by Qualcomm

Fastconnect 6700 Firmware by Qualcomm

Fastconnect 6800 Firmware by Qualcomm

Fastconnect 6900 Firmware by Qualcomm

Fastconnect 7800 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qam8255p Firmware by Qualcomm

Qam8295p Firmware by Qualcomm

Qam8620p Firmware by Qualcomm

Qam8650p Firmware by Qualcomm

Qam8775p Firmware by Qualcomm

Qamsrv1h Firmware by Qualcomm

Qamsrv1m Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6174a Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6310 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6335 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6391 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6420 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6421 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6426 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6430 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6431 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6436 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6564a Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6564au Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6574 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6574a Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6574au Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6584au Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6595 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6595au Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6678aq Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6688aq Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6696 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6698aq Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6698au Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca6797aq Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca8081 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca8337 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qca9377 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcc710 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcm4325 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcm4490 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcm5430 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcm6490 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcm8550 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcn6024 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcn6224 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcn6274 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcn9011 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcn9012 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcn9024 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcn9274 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcs4490 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcs5430 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcs615 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcs6490 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcs8300 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcs8550 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qcs9100 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qdu1000 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qdu1010 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qdu1110 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qdu1210 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qdx1010 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qdx1011 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qep8111 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qfw7114 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qfw7124 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qmp1000 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qru1032 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qru1052 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qru1062 Firmware by Qualcomm

Qsm8350 Firmware by Qualcomm

Robotics Rb3 Firmware by Qualcomm

Sa4150p Firmware by Qualcomm