dbcve.org
Wear OsOperating system · Samsung

CVE-2025-20997

MEDIUM · 5.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2025-07-08
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
57/100
Remediation priority · Elevated
Zero-click

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 · unedited
Incorrect default permission in Framework for Galaxy Watch prior to SMR Jul-2025 Release 1 allows local attackers to reset some configuration of Galaxy Watch.

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 confidence

This is a local permission bypass vulnerability in the Samsung Galaxy Watch framework that allows an attacker with local access to reset certain device configurations. The issue stems from incorrect default permissions set in the watchOS-like framework prior to the July 2025 security update (SMR Jul-2025 Release 1). A local attacker would need some form of access to the device to exploit this, potentially through sideloaded apps or USB debugging interfaces.

MitigationApply the SMR Jul-2025 Release 1 or later firmware update for Galaxy Watch devices. For enterprise environments, ensure MDM (Mobile Device Management) policies are in place to enforce timely security patches and restrict side-loaded applications.

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
Wear OsOperating system
Affected:= 5.0

CVSS 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
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
High
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Confirm device is a Samsung Galaxy Watch running Wear OS
    Navigate to Settings > About Watch on the Galaxy Watch. Look for the device model name (such as Galaxy Watch 4, 5, 6, or 7 series) and verify it runs Samsung's Wear OS-based software.
    Affected if The device is a Samsung Galaxy Watch model running Samsung's Wear OS implementation.
  2. Check the Wear OS version
    In Settings > About Watch > Software Information, locate the Wear OS version number. Alternatively, check Settings > Apps > Wear OS app and view its version info.
    Affected if The Wear OS version is exactly 5.0, which matches the affected version range.
  3. Identify the SMR firmware version
    In Settings > About Watch > Software Information, find the SMR (Samsung Maintenance Release) version number. This typically appears as SMR-xx-XXXX, such as SMR-Jul-2025 or similar date-based labeling.
    Affected if The SMR firmware version is earlier than SMR Jul-2025 Release 1, indicating the patch has not been applied.
  4. Verify the permission configuration status
    While direct inspection of framework permission defaults requires developer access, check if the device allows side-loaded applications or has USB debugging enabled in Developer Options, as these represent the exploitation vectors mentioned in the advisory.
    Affected if USB debugging is enabled or installation of apps from unknown sources is permitted on the device.

The device is affected if it is a Samsung Galaxy Watch running Wear OS version 5.0 with firmware prior to SMR Jul-2025 Release 1 and has sideloading or debugging features enabled.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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 · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the SMR Jul-2025 Release 1 or later firmware update for Galaxy Watch devices. For enterprise environments, ensure MDM (Mobile Device Management) policies are in place to enforce timely security patches and restrict side-loaded applications.

Recommended fix High confidence

SMR Jul-2025 Release 1

  1. 1. Open the Galaxy Watch app on your paired smartphone
  2. 2. Navigate to Watch settings > Watch software update
  3. 3. Ensure your Galaxy Watch is connected to Wi-Fi and charging
  4. 4. Tap 'Download and install' to update to the latest SMR (Samsung Maintenance Release)
  5. 5. Confirm the update completes and verify the watch is running SMR Jul-2025 Release 1 or later
  6. 6. After update, verify the vulnerability is resolved by confirming the permission settings in Settings > Security on the watch
Caveat No major breaking changes expected; standard firmware update for Galaxy Watch devices

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Wear Os Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation4.0 h
  • Testing2.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
11.0 hours of engineering $1,980
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-20997 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • 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