CVE-2024-23305 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability classified under CWE-787 found in the BrainVisionMarker (.vmrk) parsing functionality of The Biosig Project's libbiosig library, specifically in version 2.5.0 and the master branch (commit ab0ee111). The vulnerability arises when the library processes specially crafted .vmrk files, which are used to mark events in brain signal data recordings. Due to improper bounds checking during parsing, an attacker can cause a write operation outside the allocated memory buffer, potentially overwriting critical memory structures. This memory corruption can be exploited to achieve arbitrary code execution on the host system without requiring any privileges or user interaction, as the vulnerability is triggered simply by processing a malicious file. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with the ease of remote exploitation over the network (e.g., if files are received via automated processing pipelines). No public exploits have been reported yet, but the vulnerability's nature and severity suggest that exploitation could lead to full system compromise. The Biosig Project is widely used in neuroinformatics and biomedical research for processing electrophysiological data, making this vulnerability particularly relevant for environments handling brain signal data. The lack of an available patch at the time of disclosure increases the urgency for mitigation.

The impact of CVE-2024-23305 on European organizations is significant, especially for institutions involved in biomedical research, clinical neuroscience, and healthcare that utilize The Biosig Project's libbiosig library for processing brain signal data. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution, allowing attackers to execute malicious payloads, steal sensitive patient or research data, disrupt data integrity, or cause denial of service. This could compromise the confidentiality of sensitive medical information, the integrity of research data, and the availability of critical systems. Given the criticality of healthcare and research infrastructure in Europe, such a compromise could have far-reaching consequences, including regulatory penalties under GDPR for data breaches, loss of research credibility, and potential harm to patient care. The vulnerability's remote exploitation capability without authentication or user interaction increases the risk of automated attacks, especially in environments where .vmrk files are exchanged or processed automatically.

1. Monitor The Biosig Project's official channels for patches addressing CVE-2024-23305 and apply updates immediately upon release. 2. Until a patch is available, implement strict input validation and sanitization for all .vmrk files before processing, including rejecting files from untrusted or unknown sources. 3. Employ sandboxing or containerization to isolate the processing of .vmrk files, limiting the potential impact of exploitation. 4. Restrict network access and file upload capabilities to systems running libbiosig to trusted users and sources only. 5. Conduct code audits and static analysis on any custom software integrating libbiosig to identify and mitigate potential exploitation vectors. 6. Enhance monitoring and logging around systems processing .vmrk files to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 7. Educate staff handling biomedical data about the risks of processing untrusted files and enforce strict operational security policies.