CVE-2025-14401 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability classified under CWE-125 found in PDFsam Enhanced version 7.0.76.15222. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied data within the handling of App objects, which leads to reading beyond the bounds of an allocated buffer. This memory corruption can be exploited by remote attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the current process. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as opening a crafted malicious PDF file or visiting a malicious webpage that triggers the vulnerability. The vulnerability allows attackers to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of affected systems by executing code remotely without requiring prior authentication. The CVSS v3.0 base score is 7.8, indicating high severity, with attack vector local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), user interaction required (UI:R), unchanged scope (S:U), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). No patches or fixes are currently linked, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability was assigned by the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) under ZDI-CAN-27260 and publicly disclosed on December 23, 2025.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the widespread use of PDFsam Enhanced for PDF manipulation and document workflows. Successful exploitation could lead to remote code execution, allowing attackers to gain control over affected systems, steal sensitive data, disrupt business operations, or deploy further malware. The requirement for user interaction means phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to deliver malicious files or links. Confidentiality breaches could expose personal data protected under GDPR, leading to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Integrity and availability impacts could disrupt critical document processing tasks, affecting sectors such as finance, legal, healthcare, and government services. The lack of current patches increases the window of exposure, emphasizing the need for proactive mitigation. Organizations relying heavily on PDFsam Enhanced in their document management processes are particularly vulnerable, and the threat could be leveraged in targeted attacks against high-value European entities.

1. Monitor for official patches or updates from PDFsam and apply them immediately upon release. 2. Until patches are available, restrict the use of PDFsam Enhanced to trusted documents and sources only, minimizing exposure to untrusted files. 3. Implement robust email filtering and web content filtering to block malicious attachments and URLs that could deliver exploit payloads. 4. Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious PDF files and visiting untrusted websites. 5. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting anomalous process behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 6. Use application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized execution of code spawned by the PDF application. 7. Conduct regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focused on document handling applications. 8. Consider sandboxing PDF viewing applications to limit the impact of potential exploits. 9. Maintain comprehensive backups and incident response plans to quickly recover from any compromise.