Overview
CVE-2025-32898 is a medium severity vulnerability affecting KDE Connect and related applications. This vulnerability stems from the use of an insufficiently robust verification-code protocol, making the application susceptible to brute-force attacks. This issue has been addressed in updated versions of KDE Connect.
Technical Details
The KDE Connect verification-code protocol, specifically in versions prior to the fixes released on 2025-04-18, utilizes only 8 characters for its verification codes. This limited character space dramatically reduces the entropy, making it feasible for attackers to exhaustively test possible code combinations within a reasonable timeframe. Successfully brute-forcing the code allows an attacker to establish a connection to the targeted device, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data compromise.
The vulnerability impacts the following:
- KDE Connect before 1.33.0 on Android
- KDE Connect before 25.04 on desktop
- KDE Connect before 0.5 on iOS
- Valent before 1.0.0.alpha.47
- GSConnect before 59
CVSS Analysis
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) assigns CVE-2025-32898 a score of 4.7 (MEDIUM).
This score reflects the relatively low attack complexity and the requirement for proximity in some attack scenarios. While the impact is potentially significant, the limited window of opportunity and effort required to exploit mitigate the severity.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-32898 could allow an attacker to:
- Gain unauthorized access to the connected device.
- Send and receive data, potentially including sensitive information.
- Execute commands on the device, depending on the configured permissions.
- Compromise the integrity and confidentiality of data on both devices.
Mitigation & Patch Steps
To mitigate the risk posed by CVE-2025-32898, it is crucial to update KDE Connect and related applications to the latest versions:
- KDE Connect: Update to version 1.33.0 or later on Android, and version 25.04 or later on desktop.
- iOS: Update KDE Connect to version 0.5 or later.
- Valent: Upgrade to a version newer than 1.0.0.alpha.47.
- GSConnect: Upgrade to version 59 or later.
Ensure that automatic updates are enabled to promptly receive and install security patches.
References
KDE Security Advisory 20250418-3
KDE Connect Official Website
