CVE-2025-1118 identifies a vulnerability in the GRUB2 bootloader's lockdown mode implementation. Normally, lockdown mode restricts certain commands to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive system components during boot. However, the 'dump' command, which allows reading of memory contents, is not blocked when lockdown mode is enabled. This flaw permits a local attacker with high privileges (e.g., root or equivalent) to execute the dump command and read arbitrary memory regions. By doing so, attackers can extract sensitive information such as cryptographic signatures, salts, and other secrets stored in memory. The vulnerability does not require user interaction but does require local privileged access, limiting remote exploitation. The CVSS score of 4.4 reflects the medium severity, emphasizing the high confidentiality impact but limited attack vector and no impact on integrity or availability. No patches or known exploits are currently documented, but the flaw undermines the trust boundary that lockdown mode is designed to enforce, potentially weakening system security postures relying on GRUB2 lockdown mode.

For European organizations, the primary impact is the potential exposure of sensitive cryptographic material and secrets stored in memory during system boot or runtime. This could facilitate further attacks such as privilege escalation, cryptographic key theft, or bypassing security controls dependent on these secrets. Organizations relying on GRUB2 lockdown mode as a security measure—particularly in critical infrastructure, government, finance, and technology sectors—may find their systems vulnerable to insider threats or compromised privileged accounts. Although remote exploitation is not feasible, the vulnerability increases risk from malicious insiders or attackers who have already gained elevated access. The lack of impact on system integrity or availability reduces the risk of service disruption but does not diminish the confidentiality concerns. Overall, the vulnerability could undermine trust in secure boot processes and memory protection mechanisms in affected environments.

1. Restrict and monitor local privileged access to systems using GRUB2, ensuring only trusted administrators have such rights. 2. Implement strict access controls and auditing on GRUB command usage, especially the dump command, to detect unauthorized attempts. 3. Apply any patches or updates from GRUB2 maintainers as soon as they become available to block the dump command in lockdown mode. 4. Use hardware-based security features such as TPM and secure boot to complement GRUB lockdown mode protections. 5. Consider isolating critical systems and limiting physical or console access to reduce the risk of local exploitation. 6. Regularly review and update security policies regarding bootloader configurations and privileged account management. 7. Employ memory encryption or other OS-level protections to reduce the impact of memory disclosure if feasible.