CVE-2021-25508
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedImproper privilege management vulnerability in API Key used in SmartThings prior to 1.7.73.22 allows an attacker to abuse the API key without limitation.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceImproper privilege management vulnerability in the SmartThings API key authentication mechanism prior to version 1.7.73.22 allows the API key to be abused without any limitation, likely providing unrestricted access or bypassing proper authorization controls.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 1.7.73.22CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify SmartThings installationLocate any Samsung SmartThings SDK, application, or related software installed in your environment. Check installed programs, application directories, or dependency listings for 'SmartThings' components.Affected if SmartThings software is present in the environment
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Determine SmartThings versionUse system tools to query the installed version of SmartThings (such as via package manager, application info, or SDK metadata). Record the exact version number reported.Affected if Version is less than 1.7.73.22 or cannot be determined (treat as vulnerable)
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Verify API key usageInspect your application configurations, environment variables, or credential storage for active SmartThings API keys. Identify where and how the API key is being used for authentication.Affected if API keys for SmartThings are actively configured or in use
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Assess API key privilege scopeReview API key permissions and access controls configured for SmartThings. Check whether the key has unrestricted access or limited privileges assigned.Affected if API key appears to have unrestricted or unbounded privileges beyond what is intended
You are affected if SmartThings version is below 1.7.73.22 and you have active API keys in use, as the privilege management flaw allows API key abuse without proper limitation.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped1.7.73.22
Update SmartThings SDK/application to version 1.7.73.22 or later to obtain the patched API key privilege controls; rotate all potentially compromised API keys as a precautionary measure.
SmartThings app version 1.7.73.22 or later
- Open the Google Play Store (Android) or Apple App Store (iOS) on your mobile device
- Search for 'SmartThings' in the store
- If an update is available, tap 'Update' to install version 1.7.73.22 or later
- Alternatively, enable automatic app updates in your device settings to ensure you receive future security patches
- After updating, verify the app version by going to SmartThings app > Settings > About device to confirm version 1.7.73.22 or higher is installed
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2021-25508 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-25508 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data