Google’s August 2025 Android Security Bulletin: Key Vulnerabilities and Updates
In August 2025, Google issued its latest Android Security Bulletin, a detailed report addressing critical vulnerabilities within the Android operating system. This month’s update highlights significant flaws, particularly affecting multiple devices and their components.
Major Vulnerabilities Reported
Among the vulnerabilities detailed in the bulletin, two stand out due to their severity: CVE-2025-21479 and CVE-2025-27038. Both have garnered attention for being actively exploited before the bulletin’s release. Accompanying these, CVE-2025-21480, a serious flaw in Qualcomm technology, was also revealed and is under scrutiny.
These vulnerabilities have been assigned high CVSS scores, with CVE-2025-21479 rated at 8.6 and CVE-2025-27038 at 7.5. This places them within the high to critical severity range. Their disclosure from Qualcomm in June was followed by credible reports indicating their involvement in real-world attacks, although the exact methodologies exploited remain undisclosed.
Specifics of the Vulnerabilities
CVE-2025-21479
This vulnerability centers on an incorrect authorization issue within the Graphics component of Android. It may allow for unauthorized command execution in GPU microcode, posing a risk of possible memory corruption.
CVE-2025-27038
Similarly, CVE-2025-27038 is identified as a use-after-free vulnerability, also linked to the Graphics component. This flaw can lead to memory corruption when rendering graphics, particularly within environments using Adreno GPU drivers, such as Chrome.
Both vulnerabilities are being monitored closely by Google’s Threat Analysis Group. They categorize these threats under “limited, targeted exploitation,” though further details regarding the involved threat actors or specific attack vectors have not been shared.
Android Security Patch Level and Coverage
Devices that have been updated to the 2025-08-05 patch level are now equipped to defend against the vulnerabilities mentioned earlier, including those attributed to Qualcomm. Users can check their device’s patch status through the Settings menu.
Google has proactively communicated these vulnerabilities to its Android partners, ensuring they were notified at least a month prior to the public bulletin release. In a bid for transparency, the bulletin notes that all relevant security patches will be made available to the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) within 48 hours post-release.
Addressing Additional Critical Flaws
In addition to the Qualcomm-related issues, the August bulletin brings attention to another serious flaw: CVE-2025-48530. This remote code execution (RCE) vulnerability could permit attackers to execute arbitrary code without requiring user interaction or elevated permissions, primarily affecting devices running Android 16. While mitigations are in place for older versions, the potential for significant damage makes this vulnerability critical.
Vulnerabilities in Framework and System Components
The bulletin also lists several other vulnerabilities affecting the Framework and System components. Notable among them are CVE-2025-22441 and CVE-2025-48533, both categorized as high-severity elevation of privilege issues, impacting devices across Android versions 13 through 16. The System component vulnerabilities, including the aforementioned RCE issue, have also been adequately patched in their respective Android version lines.
Ongoing Security Measures and User Awareness
As part of its layered security strategy, Google emphasizes the importance of Google Play Protect, which is automatically enabled on devices featuring Google Mobile Services. This feature scans applications for harmful content, providing an extra layer of security, especially for users installing apps from non-Play Store sources.
Moreover, newer versions of Android integrate advanced defensive mechanisms such as improved memory protections and sandboxing techniques. These systems are designed to complicate the exploitation of vulnerabilities. While this month saw no new fixes from Project Mainline, the updates from the August 1 and 5 patch levels cover all known vulnerabilities.
To fully safeguard against these risks, devices must be updated to at least the 2025-08-05 patch level. The bulletin clarifies common classifications for vulnerabilities, such as Remote Code Execution (RCE), Elevation of Privilege (EoP), and Denial of Service (DoS), enhancing transparency for users and developers alike.
