Overview
CVE-2025-20772 is a security vulnerability affecting MediaTek display drivers. This vulnerability, classified as a use-after-free, could allow a local attacker with existing System privileges to escalate their privileges further. Exploitation of this vulnerability does not require user interaction. A patch, identified as ALPS10196993, addresses this issue.
Technical Details
The vulnerability lies in the display driver code where a memory corruption due to a use-after-free condition can occur. Specifically, a memory location is freed, but the driver continues to access it. This can lead to unpredictable behavior, including arbitrary code execution if the freed memory is reallocated to a malicious actor. The issue is tracked internally as MSV-4801.
CVSS Analysis
The CVE description indicates that both the CVSS score and Severity are ‘N/A’. This suggests that either the score is not yet determined, or the information is deliberately withheld. It is critical to monitor updates from MediaTek and other security resources for a formal CVSS score as it becomes available to understand the true risk level.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-20772 can lead to local privilege escalation. An attacker who has already gained System privileges on the affected device could leverage this vulnerability to obtain higher-level access, potentially leading to full system compromise. This could allow the attacker to install malicious software, access sensitive data, or modify system configurations.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
The recommended mitigation is to apply the patch provided by MediaTek, identified as ALPS10196993. Users should check with their device manufacturers for available updates that include this patch. Regularly updating your device’s firmware and drivers is crucial to protect against this and other security vulnerabilities.
