Description
A stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the MFER parsing functionality of The Biosig Project libbiosig 3.9.0 and Master Branch (35a819fa). A specially crafted MFER file can lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker can provide a malicious file to trigger this vulnerability.This vulnerability manifests on line 8744 of biosig.c on the current master branch (35a819fa), when the Tag is 3: else if (tag==3) { // character code char v[17]; // [1] if (len>16) fprintf(stderr,"Warning MFER tag2 incorrect length %i>16\n",len); curPos += ifread(&v,1,len,hdr); v[len] = 0; In this case, the overflowed buffer is the newly-declared `v` \[1\] instead of `buf`. Since `v` is only 17 bytes large, much smaller values of `len` (even those encoded using a single octet) can trigger an overflow in this code path.
EPSS Score:
0%
Comprehensive Technical Analysis of EUVD-2025-25682
1. Vulnerability Assessment and Severity Evaluation
The vulnerability described in EUVD-2025-25682 is a stack-based buffer overflow in the MFER parsing functionality of The Biosig Project's libbiosig library, versions 3.9.0 and the Master Branch (35a819fa). This vulnerability allows an attacker to execute arbitrary code by providing a specially crafted MFER file. The severity of this vulnerability is rated with a CVSS base score of 9.8, indicating a critical risk.
CVSS Base Score Vector:
- AV:N (Network Vector): The vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network.
- AC:L (Low Complexity): The attack requires low skill or resources to exploit.
- PR:N (No Privileges Required): No privileges are required to exploit the vulnerability.
- UI:N (No User Interaction): No user interaction is required to exploit the vulnerability.
- S:U (Unchanged Scope): The vulnerability does not change the security scope.
- C:H (High Confidentiality Impact): The vulnerability can lead to a high impact on confidentiality.
- I:H (High Integrity Impact): The vulnerability can lead to a high impact on integrity.
- A:H (High Availability Impact): The vulnerability can lead to a high impact on availability.
2. Potential Attack Vectors and Exploitation Methods
Attack Vectors:
- Malicious File Upload: An attacker can upload a specially crafted MFER file to a system that uses libbiosig for processing.
- Phishing: An attacker can trick a user into downloading and opening a malicious MFER file.
- Supply Chain Attack: An attacker can compromise a software update mechanism to deliver a malicious MFER file.
Exploitation Methods:
- Buffer Overflow: The attacker can craft an MFER file with a
tagvalue of 3 and alenvalue greater than 16, causing a buffer overflow in thevarray. - Code Execution: By carefully crafting the payload, the attacker can overwrite the return address on the stack, leading to arbitrary code execution.
3. Affected Systems and Software Versions
Affected Software:
- libbiosig 3.9.0
- libbiosig Master Branch (35a819fa)
Affected Systems:
- Any system or application that uses the affected versions of libbiosig for MFER file processing.
4. Recommended Mitigation Strategies
Immediate Mitigation:
- Patching: Upgrade to a patched version of libbiosig that addresses this vulnerability.
- Input Validation: Implement strict input validation to ensure that the
lenvalue does not exceed the buffer size. - Memory Protection: Enable stack canaries, DEP (Data Execution Prevention), and ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization) to mitigate the impact of buffer overflows.
Long-Term Mitigation:
- Code Review: Conduct a thorough code review to identify and fix similar vulnerabilities.
- Security Training: Provide security training for developers to prevent future buffer overflow vulnerabilities.
- Regular Updates: Ensure that all software dependencies are regularly updated to the latest versions.
5. Impact on European Cybersecurity Landscape
The vulnerability in libbiosig poses a significant risk to the European cybersecurity landscape, particularly for organizations that rely on biomedical signal processing. The potential for arbitrary code execution can lead to data breaches, system compromises, and loss of sensitive information. Given the critical nature of the CVSS score, immediate action is required to mitigate the risk.
6. Technical Details for Security Professionals
Vulnerable Code Snippet:
else if (tag==3) {
// character code
char v[17]; // [1]
if (len>16) fprintf(stderr,"Warning MFER tag2 incorrect length %i>16\n",len);
curPos += ifread(&v,1,len,hdr);
v[len] = 0;
}
Technical Analysis:
- The buffer
vis declared with a size of 17 bytes. - The
ifreadfunction readslenbytes intov, which can exceed the buffer size iflenis greater than 16. - The
v[len] = 0;statement can write out of bounds iflenis greater than 16, leading to a buffer overflow.
Exploitation Steps:
- Craft an MFER file with
tagset to 3 andlengreater than 16. - Ensure the payload overwrites the return address on the stack.
- Include shellcode or a return-oriented programming (ROP) chain to execute arbitrary code.
Detection and Monitoring:
- Implement file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized changes to MFER files.
- Use intrusion detection systems (IDS) to monitor for suspicious network activity related to MFER file uploads.
- Regularly audit and review logs for any anomalies related to MFER file processing.
By addressing this vulnerability promptly and implementing robust security measures, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of exploitation and protect their systems from potential attacks.