MediaTek Chip Vulnerability Threatens Cryptocurrency Wallets on a Quarter of Android Smartphones

Chip flaw allows key theft in under a minute

The security team at Ledger (Donjon) has identified a critical vulnerability in Android smartphones equipped with MediaTek processors, as reported by The Block.

The flaw allows for the extraction of a phone’s PIN and private keys from cryptocurrency wallets in under a minute.

The issue lies within the secure boot mechanism of the chips. Exploiting this vulnerability requires physical access to the device: an attacker connects the smartphone via USB before the operating system boots, extracts the disk encryption keys, and then accesses the data offline.

Researchers estimate that the vulnerability affects a quarter of all Android smartphones. Devices at risk are those based on MediaTek, utilizing Trustonic’s trusted execution environment.

Ledger’s CTO, Charles Guillemet, reminded users that mobile devices were not originally designed as secure storage solutions. He urged users to install the latest security patches from manufacturers.

“If your cryptocurrency is stored on your phone, the security of your assets is only as strong as the weakest link in the hardware or software,” Guillemet emphasized.

Wallet attacks remain a significant threat to the industry. According to TRM Labs, in the first half of 2025, the theft of private keys and seed phrases accounted for over 80% of the total stolen funds ($2.1 billion).

Back in October 2025, Ledger and Trezor unveiled next-generation devices.