Samsung NPU Driver Arbitrary Memory Write and Local Privilege Escalation (CVE-2022-22265) Technical Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTSamsung mobile devices running NPU (Neural Processing Unit) driver prior to SMR Jan-2022 Release 1
Local attackers can exploit improper handling of exceptional conditions to perform arbitrary memory writes and execute code with kernel privileges
Apply the official Samsung security update to upgrade the system firmware to January 2022 or later
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
The primary remediation is to apply the official Samsung Over-The-Air (OTA) update. For enterprise fleets, enforce the update policy via Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions.
# Verify the current security patch level via ADB
adb shell getprop ro.build.version.security_patch
# Ensure the output date is '2022-01-01' or later.2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict local attack vectors by disabling developer options, ADB debugging, and blocking the installation of applications from unknown sources.
# Disable ADB debugging to mitigate local access vectors
adb shell settings put global adb_enabled 03. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Monitor system logs for unusual NPU driver crashes or memory allocation failures which may indicate exploitation attempts.
# Check kernel logs for NPU-related anomalies or crashes
adb logcat -d | grep -Ei 'npu|mali_npu|kernel panic|out of bounds'Block Kernel Privilege Escalation & Ransomware Payloads Before You Can Reboot
Protect unpatched Windows, Linux, and macOS workloads against in-memory exploitation and lateral movement with autonomous EDR.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2022-22265) is an improper check or handling of exceptional conditions (CWE-703) within the Samsung NPU (Neural Processing Unit) kernel driver. The root cause lies in the driver's failure to properly validate input parameters and handle error states during specific system calls (such as ioctl), leading to corrupted state management in kernel memory.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker with local access (e.g., via a low-privileged malicious application or local shell) can interact with the NPU driver device node (typically /dev/mali_npu). By sending crafted inputs that trigger unhandled exceptional conditions, the attacker can corrupt kernel memory structures. This lack of robust exception handling allows the attacker to perform arbitrary memory writes, bypass Android's application sandbox, and execute arbitrary code with elevated kernel privileges.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
This vulnerability is actively exploited in the wild and is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog. In an enterprise environment, successful exploitation allows attackers to compromise mobile endpoints completely, leading to the theft of sensitive corporate data, session tokens, and credentials, or enabling lateral movement within corporate networks.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
An improper check or handling of exceptional conditions in NPU driver prior to SMR Jan-2022 Release 1 allows arbitrary memory write and code execution.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2022-22265)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2022-22265 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2022-22265 is rated CVSS 7.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 0.4%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2022-22265?
Primary impacted vendors include samsung across npu driver, exynos. Scope summary: Samsung mobile devices (primarily Exynos-based models) running firmware versions prior to the January 2022 Security Maintenance Release (SMR Jan-2022 Release 1)
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2022-22265 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the official Samsung security update to upgrade the system firmware to January 2022 or later Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
Generate an Internal Engineering Notice or CISO Report for CVE-2022-22265
Instantly format this advisory into an executive CISO summary or engineering patch ticket.
🔗 Related Advisories in Similar Stack (samsung)
View Category →Apple macOS Screen Sharing Authentication Bypass Vulnerability (CVE-2026-65400)
[Affected Scope] macOS systems running versions prior to Sequoia 15.7.9, Sonoma 14.8.9, Tahoe 26.6.1/26.7, or Golden Gate 27 with Screen Sharing or VNC services enabled
DAEMON Tools Lite Official Installer Supply Chain Attack and Trojanized Binaries (CVE-2026-8398)
[Affected Scope] DAEMON Tools Lite Windows versions 12.5.0.2421 through 12.5.0.2434 distributed between April 8, 2026, and May 5, 2026
Microsoft Windows Shell Command Injection and Security Feature Bypass (CVE-2026-96951) Advisory
[Affected Scope] All supported versions of Windows OS including Windows 10, 11, and Windows Server.
Apple iOS and macOS Out-of-bounds Write Remote Code Execution Vulnerability (CVE-2026-86950) Security Advisory
[Affected Scope] All Apple devices running versions prior to iOS 18.7.11/26.7.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.8.1/Tahoe 26.7.1.
Subscribe to Daily Vulnerability Briefings & KEV Alerts
Concise morning briefings for SecOps, DevSecOps, and SRE teams covering newly exploited CVEs and mitigation priorities.