In a startling revelation, Ledger’s Donjon research team uncovered an unpatchable vulnerability in the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chip, a processor found in many Android devices. This flaw opens pathways for attackers to gain full access through hardware manipulation, especially endangering mobile wallets used for cryptocurrency storage. If you’re using a smartphone with this chip, understanding the risks and potential safeguards is critical.
Key Findings of the Vulnerability
The flaw stems from a hard-coded defect in the boot ROM of the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chip, making it immune to software patches. Using electromagnetic fault injection techniques, researchers demonstrated that an attacker with physical access can bypass memory safeguards, dump memory, and ultimately execute high-privilege-level code. This exploit reveals private keys and sensitive data, posing a major threat to crypto self-custodians.
Why It Matters
Mobile wallets, commonly used to store and access cryptocurrency, often rely on the phone’s secure execution environment. However, as this discovery proves, even advanced chip-level defenses can be physically compromised. This problem isn’t limited to software malware or phishing attacks — the hardware itself can become the weakest link in your security chain.
Who’s at Risk?
Smartphone users whose devices contain the MediaTek Dimensity 7300 chip are particularly vulnerable, especially if their phones are lost or stolen. With direct physical access to the motherboard, an attacker can exploit this flaw. MediaTek notified affected vendors of the issue after discovering it in mid-2025, but since the boot ROM is immutable, devices remain susceptible unless accompanied by external protective measures.
How to Protect Yourself
Given the unpatchable nature of this vulnerability, users are advised to shift their reliance away from mobile wallets. Instead, consider using hardware wallets for storing private keys securely. Ledger, the company behind this research, provides a highly secure solution with their Ledger Nano X hardware wallet, which isolates private keys from vulnerable chip-level environments.
Additionally, smartphone owners can minimize exposure by enabling device encryption, adding multi-layered authentication for mobile wallets, and promptly reporting lost devices to their wallet providers for key revocation.
Final Thoughts
Ledger’s findings are a wake-up call for technology manufacturers and users alike. Hardware flaws such as this highlight the limitations of modern chip defenses, reinforcing the importance of dedicated security measures for digital assets. As the use of mobile wallets continues to grow in the cryptocurrency market, ensuring robust protection for private keys is more critical than ever.
