At the Pwn2Own Ireland 2025 competition, cybersecurity experts Ben R. and Georgi G. from Interrupt Labs demonstrated a remarkable exploit targeting the Samsung Galaxy S25. Their successful attack revealed a previously unknown zero-day vulnerability that allowed them to gain full control over the device, including the ability to activate the camera and track the user’s location remotely. The live demonstration, held on the event’s final day, highlighted persistent security challenges facing flagship Android smartphones, even those subjected to rigorous security testing and advanced protection systems. The root cause of the vulnerability was identified as an improper input validation flaw within the Galaxy S25’s software stack. By sending specially crafted inputs, the researchers showed that an attacker could bypass existing safeguards and execute arbitrary code without any user interaction. This exploit enabled silent compromise of the device, granting continuous remote access and turning it into a potential surveillance tool capable of capturing photos, videos, and real-time GPS data. Experts noted that similar flaws often originate in complex multimedia or system components, where rapid feature development can sometimes outpace thorough security hardening. For their sophisticated research and exploit chain, Ben R. and Georgi G. received $50,000 in prize money and earned five Master of Pwn points. Their contribution added to Pwn2Own’s total payout of approximately $2 million, recognizing 73 unique zero-day discoveries. The event, organized by the Zero Day Initiative, encourages ethical hackers to responsibly disclose vulnerabilities, ensuring affected vendors like Samsung receive detailed technical information to create timely patches and improve product security. Although Samsung has not yet issued an official statement regarding the Galaxy S25 vulnerability, the company is expected to release a corrective update soon. Users are advised to enable automatic updates and monitor Samsung’s official channels for security advisories to stay protected against potential exploitation.
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