CVE-2024-25390 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified in the RT-Thread real-time operating system, specifically within the finsh shell components (finsh/msh_file.c and finsh/msh.c) up to version 5.0.2. The vulnerability arises due to improper handling of memory buffers during shell command processing, leading to out-of-bounds writes on the heap (classified under CWE-122). This flaw can be triggered by an attacker with local access to the device running RT-Thread, without requiring any privileges or user interaction, making it relatively easy to exploit in environments where local access is possible. Successful exploitation can result in arbitrary code execution, allowing attackers to escalate privileges, manipulate system behavior, or cause a denial of service by crashing the system. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.4 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with low attack complexity and no required privileges or user interaction. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to embedded systems and IoT devices relying on RT-Thread, which is widely used in industrial control, consumer electronics, and smart devices. The lack of available patches at the time of publication necessitates immediate defensive measures to mitigate risk.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-25390 is substantial, especially those deploying RT-Thread in critical embedded systems such as industrial automation, smart manufacturing, automotive electronics, and IoT infrastructure. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized control over devices, data leakage, disruption of operational technology (OT) environments, and potential cascading failures in interconnected systems. This could affect confidentiality by exposing sensitive operational data, integrity by allowing manipulation of device functions, and availability by causing device crashes or reboots. Given Europe's strong industrial base and increasing adoption of IoT and embedded technologies, the vulnerability could disrupt manufacturing processes, supply chains, and critical infrastructure. Additionally, the local access requirement means attackers might leverage insider threats or compromised internal networks to exploit the flaw, increasing the risk in environments with less stringent physical or network access controls.

To mitigate CVE-2024-25390, European organizations should immediately implement strict access controls to limit local access to devices running RT-Thread, including physical security measures and network segmentation to isolate vulnerable devices. Monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect unusual shell activity or memory corruption indicators. Organizations should audit their RT-Thread deployments to identify affected versions and prioritize upgrades once patches become available. In the interim, disabling or restricting the finsh shell functionality where feasible can reduce the attack surface. Employing runtime protections such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization (ASLR), and memory protection units (MPUs) in embedded environments may help mitigate exploitation impact. Vendors and integrators should be engaged to accelerate patch development and deployment. Finally, incident response plans should be updated to address potential exploitation scenarios involving embedded RT-Thread devices.