Overview
A severe vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-54485, has been identified in The Biosig Project libbiosig 3.9.0 and Master Branch (35a819fa). This vulnerability is a stack-based buffer overflow that resides in the MFER parsing functionality of the software, opening a door for attackers to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. This vulnerability can potentially impact any system running the affected versions of libbiosig, posing significant threats to data confidentiality and system integrity.
Given the high severity of this vulnerability, with a CVSS score of 9.8, it is crucial for administrators and IT professionals to understand its implications, how it functions, and what mitigation steps can be taken.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-54485
Severity: Critical (CVSS: 9.8)
Attack Vector: Local/Remote
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
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Product | Affected Versions
The Biosig Project libbiosig | 3.9.0 and Master Branch (35a819fa)
How the Exploit Works
This vulnerability originates from a stack-based buffer overflow in the MFER parsing functionality of The Biosig Project libbiosig 3.9.0 and Master Branch (35a819fa). A buffer overflow occurs when more data is written into a buffer than it can handle, which can corrupt data, crash the program, or lead to the execution of malicious code.
In the case of CVE-2025-54485, a specially crafted MFER file can trigger the vulnerability, leading to arbitrary code execution. This vulnerability manifests on line 8785 of biosig.c on the current master branch (35a819fa), when the Tag is 8.
Conceptual Example Code
Here’s a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited using a malicious MFER file:
$ ./vulnerable_binary $(python -c 'print("A"*250)') // where 250 is greater than the buffer sizeThis command would generate an MFER file with a payload of “A” characters repeated 250 times, which could cause a buffer overflow if the buffer size is less than 250. This overflow could then allow the execution of arbitrary code.
Remember, this is a simplified example and real-world exploits would likely involve more sophisticated techniques and custom payloads.
Recommended Mitigations
To mitigate this vulnerability, it is recommended to apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. In the absence of a vendor patch, the use of a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can serve as temporary mitigation.
Moreover, it is advisable to always monitor incoming and outgoing network traffic for suspicious activities, and to follow best security practices such as limiting the privileges of system processes and regularly updating and patching all systems and software.