CVE-2025-14935 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified in the NSF Unidata NetCDF-C library, specifically within the dimension name parsing functionality. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of the length of user-supplied dimension name data before it is copied into a fixed-length buffer allocated on the heap. This lack of bounds checking allows an attacker to overflow the buffer, potentially overwriting adjacent memory and enabling arbitrary code execution. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as opening a maliciously crafted NetCDF file or visiting a web page that triggers the vulnerable code path. The vulnerability does not require prior authentication or elevated privileges, but the attacker’s code executes with the same privileges as the user running the application. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.8 reflects high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity but requiring user interaction. While no public exploits are known at this time, the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be considered a significant risk for environments using NetCDF-C, particularly in scientific and meteorological data processing contexts where this library is prevalent. The vulnerability was tracked as ZDI-CAN-27168 before public disclosure. No patches were listed at the time of disclosure, indicating the need for vigilance and interim mitigations.

The vulnerability allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running the NetCDF-C library, potentially leading to full system compromise. For European organizations, especially those involved in scientific research, meteorology, climate modeling, and environmental data analysis, this could result in unauthorized data access, data manipulation, or disruption of critical data processing workflows. Confidentiality is at risk as attackers could exfiltrate sensitive research data or intellectual property. Integrity could be compromised by altering datasets, undermining research validity. Availability could be affected if attackers deploy malware or ransomware post-exploitation. Given the reliance on NetCDF-C in many European research institutions and governmental agencies, the impact could extend to national weather services and environmental monitoring programs, potentially affecting public safety and policy decisions.

Organizations should monitor NSF Unidata communications for official patches and apply them promptly once available. Until patches are released, restrict the sources of NetCDF files to trusted origins and implement strict file validation and sandboxing techniques to limit exposure. Employ runtime memory protection mechanisms such as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), Data Execution Prevention (DEP), and stack canaries to mitigate exploitation risk. Network-level controls should be used to block access to malicious sites that could host exploit payloads. Security teams should educate users about the risks of opening untrusted files and visiting suspicious websites. Additionally, consider using application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Regularly audit and update all scientific software dependencies to reduce the attack surface.