Overview
This blog post shines light on a severe vulnerability, CVE-2025-20701, that has been detected in the Airoha Bluetooth audio SDK. This vulnerability allows an attacker to pair a Bluetooth audio device without the device owner’s consent, leading to possible remote escalation of privileges. It’s a potential threat to any system or device that uses the Airoha Bluetooth audio SDK, as it may result in system compromise or data leakage. As the vulnerability does not require additional execution privileges or user interaction, it poses a significant risk and therefore needs immediate attention.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-20701
Severity: High (8.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise and potential data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Airoha Bluetooth Audio SDK | All versions prior to the latest patch
How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of a flaw in the Airoha Bluetooth audio SDK that doesn’t require user consent when pairing a Bluetooth audio device. An attacker can utilize this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to the device and escalate privileges remotely without any additional execution privileges needed. This could lead to potential system compromise or data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a higher-level conceptual example of how an attacker might exploit this vulnerability:
struct BT_Device {
char* device_id;
char* device_key;
}
void exploit_device(BT_Device* device) {
device->device_key = generate_new_key();
pair_device(device);
}In this pseudo-code example, the attacker generates a new key for the device and pairs it without the user’s consent. This could be part of a larger malicious program designed to take control of the device and potentially leak sensitive data.
Mitigation Guidance
The best remediation step is to apply the latest patch provided by the vendor. If the patch cannot be applied immediately, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as a temporary mitigation.
It’s also advisable to monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity, especially any attempts to pair Bluetooth devices without user consent. Regularly updating all software and maintaining good cybersecurity practices can further lessen the risk of such vulnerabilities.