CVE-2021-25337
CVE-2021-25337 is a security flaw in Samsung Mobile Devices, Samsung’s Android phones and tablets. Attackers can reach parts of Samsung Mobile Devices that should be locked to them. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 8 Nov 2022.[1]
Samsung Mobile Devices is in things households have, such as phones, computers, browsers and everyday apps, so the fix matters at home as much as at work. Fixed in version SMR Mar-2021 Release 1 of Samsung Mobile Devices.
Description
CISA calls it an improper access control in Samsung Mobile Devices. In its words: “Samsung mobile devices contain an improper access control vulnerability in clipboard service which allows untrusted applications to read or write arbitrary files. This vulnerability was chained with CVE-2021-25369 and CVE-2021-25370.”[1]
The underlying weakness is improper privilege management (CWE-269), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.[2]
It scores 7.1 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record lists one fixed version: everything before it is affected.[2]
| Product | Fixed in |
|---|---|
| Samsung Mobile Devices | SMR Mar-2021 Release 1 |
Every device with Samsung Mobile Devices needs the update.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 8 Nov 2022, 614 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 29 Nov 2022 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 3%. That’s in the top 14% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Samsung has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Update Samsung Mobile Devices now.On Android: Settings, then System or Software update. Phones only get these fixes while their maker still supports them. Then turn on automatic updates, so the next fix arrives on its own.
- Check you’re on SMR Mar-2021 Release 1 or later.Fixed in version SMR Mar-2021 Release 1 of Samsung Mobile Devices. Anything older is what attackers are going after.
- If there’s no update, stop using it.CISA’s advice when a flaw being used in attacks has no fix is to stop using the product until it does.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 7.1.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 3%.[4] |
See also
Other Samsung Mobile Devices flaws
- CVE-2025-21042: out-of-bounds write ·
- CVE-2025-21043: out-of-bounds write ·
- CVE-2022-22265: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2021-25489: improper input validation ·
- CVE-2021-25487: out-of-bounds read ·
- CVE-2021-25395: race condition ·
Other Samsung flaws
- CVE-2024-7399, Samsung MagicINFO 9 Server: path traversal ·
- CVE-2025-4632, Samsung MagicINFO 9 Server: path traversal ·
Other improper privilege management flaws
- CVE-2026-102490, Zammad GmbH Zammad: improper privilege management ·
- CVE-2026-84869, ConnectWise ScreenConnect: improper privilege management and missing authorization ·
- CVE-2026-46817, Oracle E-Business Suite: improper privilege management ·
- CVE-2026-21533, Microsoft Windows: improper privilege management ·
- CVE-2024-8068, Citrix Session Recording: improper privilege management ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2022-41128, Microsoft Windows: scripting languages remote code execution ·
- CVE-2022-41125, Microsoft Windows: CNG key isolation service privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2022-41091, Microsoft Windows: mark of the web (MOTW) security feature bypass ·
- CVE-2022-41073, Microsoft Windows: print spooler privilege escalation ·
- CVE-2021-25370, Samsung Mobile Devices: memory corruption ·
Every Samsung flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in November 2022
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Samsung Mobile Devices Improper Access Control Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 8 Nov 2022.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2021-25337 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 4 Mar 2021.
- ^ Samsung. Advisories and fixes: security.samsungmobile.com, security.samsungmobile.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.028, percentile 86.5, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2021-25337”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.