CVE-2025-59616

Executive Summary

CVE-2025-59616 is a use-after-free (UAF) memory corruption vulnerability in Qualcomm's Computer Vision subsystem, triggered when multiple IOCTL calls are processed with the same buffer file descriptor input. The flaw allows an attacker with local access to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service by forcing the kernel to access previously freed memory. The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 6.6, indicating medium-to-high severity, and currently has no known public exploit, no CISA KEV listing, and no confirmed patch — only a single-source claim from the CNA. Affected devices likely include Qualcomm SoCs with integrated Computer Vision processing units, which are common in Android smartphones, IoT devices, and automotive platforms.

Technical Analysis

The NVD description states that the vulnerability arises from "Memory Corruption when processing multiple IOCTL calls with the same buffer file descriptor input due to accessing already freed memory." The CNA title identifies the affected component as Computer Vision.

At the vulnerability-class level, a use-after-free occurs when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed. In the context of kernel/driver-level IOCTL handling, this typically follows a multi-step sequence:

1. Buffer Creation: A user-space process allocates a shared buffer (e.g., via mmap or a dedicated allocator) and obtains a file descriptor referencing that buffer.
2. IOCTL Call 1: The process issues an IOCTL that references the buffer (e.g., for frame processing, image capture, or feature extraction). During this operation, kernel/driver code obtains a pointer to the buffer's internal data structure.
3. Buffer Release: The process closes the file descriptor or issues a second IOCTL that causes the driver to free the underlying buffer memory (either explicitly or via reference-count decrement to zero).
4. IOCTL Call 2: The process issues another IOCTL using the same (now stale) buffer file descriptor. The driver accesses the freed memory region — either the descriptor's cached data pointer or the buffer's metadata structure — resulting in use-after-free.

The specific trigger condition — "multiple IOCTL calls with the same buffer file descriptor" — indicates that the Qualcomm driver fails to properly validate or re-validate whether the buffer referenced by the descriptor is still valid and allocated on each IOCTL invocation. Insufficient technical detail is available to identify the exact function names, IOCTL command codes, or file paths involved; the description only confirms the mechanism at a high level.

Attack surface considerations:

• The affected component is the Computer Vision (CV) subsystem within Qualcomm's kernel drivers — typically exposed to user space via device nodes (e.g., /dev/ entries) rendered by the CV/ISP (Image Signal Processor) driver stack.
• The vulnerability requires local access to the device and the ability to invoke IOCTLs on the affected device node. On Android devices, this could be exploited via a malicious app gaining access to the relevant device file, or via a chained exploit that first obtains file-descriptor-level access.
• The use-after-free occurs in kernel/driver context, meaning successful exploitation yields kernel-level code execution — the highest privilege level on a mobile SoC.

The CWE and CVSS vector are not provided in the data; only the aggregate 6.6 score is given. The EPSS score of 0.00064 (0.0% percentile) indicates extremely low exploit likelihood in the wild at the time of analysis.

Exploitation Scenarios

No public PoC is available; the attack chain is inferred from the vulnerability class and NVD description.

Step 1 — Reconnaissance/Target Identification: An attacker must first identify a target device running a Qualcomm SoC with the vulnerable Computer Vision driver version. For Android devices, this can be done by checking the kernel version string, SoC model (via /proc/cpuinfo or device build properties), and the specific driver version exposed via the device node. The attacker would also need to confirm that the device exposes the CV/ISP device node to unprivileged or semiprivileged processes.

Step 2 — Triggering the Flaw: The attacker opens the affected CV device node and obtains a buffer file descriptor via the appropriate allocation IOCTL (e.g., requesting a buffer for image processing). The attacker then:

• Issues an initial IOCTL that uses the buffer (e.g., a "start processing" command).
• Releases the buffer (by closing the descriptor or invoking a release/free IOCTL).
• Issues a second IOCTL referencing the same (now freed) buffer descriptor.

The driver fails to detect that the underlying memory has been freed and proceeds to access it, triggering the use-after-free state.

Step 3 — Payload/Execution Method (vulnerability-class level): Because this is a use-after-free in a kernel/driver context, exploitation typically involves one of two approaches:

• Heap feng shui: The attacker primes the kernel heap so that a controlled object (e.g., a fake file structure or a controlled data block) occupies the freed memory slot. When the driver accesses the freed buffer, it reads attacker-controlled fields, leading to a function pointer overwrite, an arbitrary write primitive, or a privilege escalation chain.
• Denial of Service: Simpler exploitation, where the attacker simply triggers the UAF without a controlled reallocation, causing a kernel panic or driver crash (system-wide reboot on mobile devices).

The exact payload specifics (e.g., ROP chain, kernel function hooking) cannot be derived from the available data and must not be fabricated.

Step 4 — Post-Exploitation Impact: On a successfully exploited device, the attacker gains arbitrary code execution in kernel context. This yields:

• Full privilege escalation — total control of the device, bypassing Android's sandbox and SELinux policies (if SELinux is compromised or bypassed via kernel code execution).
• Data exfiltration — access to all on-device data including encrypted credentials, photos, messages, and enterprise-managed data.
• Persistence — ability to install kernel-level rootkits or modify the boot chain.
• On automotive or IoT platforms using Qualcomm CV SoCs, lateral movement to other vehicle or network systems could be possible.

Impact Assessment

Business Impact: For enterprise organizations with bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies or managed Android fleets (including ruggedized handhelds in logistics, healthcare, and field services), this vulnerability presents a local privilege escalation (LPE) risk. An attacker who achieves initial code execution (e.g., via a malicious app or browser exploit chain) can leverage CVE-2025-59616 to gain kernel-level control, thereby compromising the entire device and any enterprise data or credentials stored on it.

Affected Systems: Any device or platform using a Qualcomm SoC with an integrated Computer Vision engine. This includes:

• Android smartphones and tablets (majority of flagship and mid-range devices).
• IoT/edge devices with CV capabilities (smart cameras, drones, robotics).
• Automotive infotainment/ADAS platforms.

Blast Radius: The CVSS score of 6.6 (Medium-High severity) reflects a local attack vector with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact — consistent with kernel-level code execution. The absence of a confirmed patch (patch confidence 2/4) and lack of vendor test guidance means affected devices may remain vulnerable for an extended period, especially on older platforms that no longer receive security updates.

Detection Guidance

The following detection rules are heuristic, targeting behaviors consistent with repeated IOCTL usage on CV device nodes followed by abnormal driver teardown or memory errors. Because no public exploit exists and the exact device path is unknown, these rules focus on the generic pattern of the attack class.

Sigma Rule

title: Repeated IOCTL Access on Qualcomm CV Device Node
id: b7e2d5a2-8f14-4e6c-9a96-3c0b8c8f5d11
status: experimental
description: Detects repeated ioctl calls on Qualcomm Computer Vision device nodes with rapid open/close cycles, potentially indicating use-after-free exploitation.
references:
  - https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-59616
tags:
  - attack.privilege_escalation
  - attack.t1068
logsource:
  product: linux
  category: syscall
  definition: Requires eBPF or LSM-based syscall auditing for ioctl events
detection:
  selection:
    syscall: 'ioctl'
    process:
      - 'gms.*'
      - 'camera.*'
      - 'com.qualcomm.*'
  condition: selection
falsepositives:
  - Legitimate camera and CV framework operations
level: medium

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2025_59616_IOCTL_Patterns
{
    meta:
        author = "Valtersit Threat Intel"
        description = "Detects binaries or logs referencing repeated IOCTL usage on Qualcomm CV devices"
        date = "2025-08-29"
        hash = "heuristic"
    strings:
        $ioctl = "ioctl" ascii wide nocase
        $cv_dev = "cv" ascii wide nocase
        $camera_dev = "camera" ascii wide nocase
        $isp_dev = "isp" ascii wide nocase
    condition:
        #ioctl > 10 and 4 of ($cv_dev, $camera_dev, $isp_dev)
}

Suricata IDS Rule

alert ip any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2025-59616 - Qualcomm CV UAF (Heuristic)"; content:"ioctl"; content:"camera"; content:"cv"; threshold:type both, track by_src, count 50, seconds 30; classtype:attempted-admin; sid:20059616; rev:1;)

Elastic Detection

sequence by process.pid with maxspan=30s
  [syscall where system_call == "ioctl"] 
  [event which starts a new process or shows file descriptor close events]
  [syscall where system_call == "ioctl"] 

Splunk SPL Query

index=linux_syscalls 
| where system_call="ioctl" 
| stats count by process_name, target_fd 
| where count > 20 
| eval risk_score = count * 10 
| sort risk_score desc 
| table _time, process_name, target_fd, count, risk_score

Wazuh OSSEC Rule

<group name="kernel,">
  <rule id="100596" level="10" frequency="50" timeframe="60">
    <if_sid>510</if_sid>
    <field name="system_call">ioctl</field>
    <description>CVE-2025-59616 - Repeated ioctl calls on CV subsystem (possible UAF)</description>
    <group>privilege_escalation,</group>
  </rule>
</group>

Mitigation & Patch Guidance

Patch Confidence: 2/4 — CLAIMED. A single source (the CNA) has claimed a patch exists, but it is not independently confirmed, and no patch version or vendor advisory has been published. Do not assume a patch is available.

1) Immediate Mitigations:

• Restrict access to the affected CV device node via SELinux or AppArmor policy. On Android, ensure that only privileged system processes (e.g., the vendor camera server) have access to the CV driver device node. Block third-party apps from opening /dev/ entries associated with the CV/ISP subsystem.
• If the device is enrolled in a mobile device management (MDM) solution, review the policy for permitting sideloaded applications, as these are the most likely initial access vector.
• For managed fleets, temporarily disable the Computer Vision features (e.g., camera-based AI processing) if operationally feasible.

2) Patch/Upgrade Steps:

• Monitor Qualcomm's Security Bulletin and the Android Security Bulletin (ASB) for a patch advisory referencing CVE-2025-59616. Tablet and phone vendors (e.g., Samsung, Xiaomi, Pixel) will distribute the fix via OTA when Qualcomm releases it.
• Test and deploy the vendor-provided kernel/driver update in a staging environment prior to fleet-wide rollout.
• If the device is running Android, ensure the device is on a security patch level (SPL) that includes the fix once available.

3) Long-Term Hardening:

• Replace end-of-life devices that are unlikely to receive kernel updates. Devices older than 3 years may never receive a fix for this CVE.
• Implement a mobile app vetting process to reduce the risk of malicious app installation.
• Consider using Android Enterprise (fully managed) mode to prevent sideloading and enforce least-privilege access to device drivers.
• Review and harden the local attack surface: enable "User Aware" and verified boot features to limit the kernel attack surface exposed to user-space processes.

References

1. NVD Entry — CVE-2025-59616: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-59616
2. Qualcomm Security Center (pending advisory — check for updates): https://security.qualcomm.com/
3. Android Security Bulletin (ASB) — check monthly bulletins for patch inclusion: https://source.android.com/docs/security/bulletin
4. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog — CVE-2025-59616 is not listed: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog

Threat Actor Activity: No exploitation in the wild has been observed. The EPSS score of 0.00064 (0.0% percentile) indicates negligible current exploitation probability. No threat actor campaigns reference this CVE to date.