CVE-2025-48576
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Android's NotificationManagerService allows local attackers to cause permanent denial of service through resource exhaustion. It affects Android devices and can be exploited without user interaction or elevated privileges. The impact is limited to local denial of service affecting notification functionality.
💻 Affected Systems
- Android
📦 What is this software?
Android by Google
Android by Google
Android by Google
Android by Google
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Permanent denial of service affecting notification system functionality, potentially requiring device reboot or factory reset to restore normal operation.
Likely Case
Local denial of service affecting notification channels, preventing proper notification delivery until system restart.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if patched; notification system functions normally with proper resource management.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access but no user interaction; could be weaponized in malicious apps targeting notification system.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: December 2025 Android Security Patch or later
Vendor Advisory: https://source.android.com/security/bulletin/2025-12-01
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Check for system updates in Settings > System > System update. 2. Install December 2025 Android security patch or later. 3. Reboot device after installation completes.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict notification permissions
androidLimit which apps have notification permissions to reduce attack surface
Disable unnecessary notification channels
androidRemove unused notification channels through app settings
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict app installation policies to prevent malicious apps
- Monitor for unusual notification behavior or system resource exhaustion
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Android security patch level in Settings > About phone > Android version > Security patch level. If before December 2025, device is vulnerable.Check Version:
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patchVerify Fix Applied:
Verify security patch level shows December 2025 or later after applying update.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Excessive NotificationManagerService errors
- Resource exhaustion warnings related to notification channels
- ANR (Application Not Responding) reports for system services
Network Indicators:
- None - this is a local vulnerability
SIEM Query:
source="android_logs" AND ("NotificationManagerService" AND ("resource" OR "exhaustion" OR "denial"))