CVE-2025-28980 is a high-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-22, which pertains to improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, commonly known as a Path Traversal vulnerability. This vulnerability affects the software product 'Aviation Weather from NOAA' developed by machouinard, specifically versions up to 0.7.2. Path Traversal vulnerabilities occur when an application does not properly sanitize user-supplied input used to construct file paths, allowing attackers to manipulate the file path to access files and directories outside the intended restricted directory. In this case, the vulnerability allows an attacker with network access and low privileges (PR:L) to remotely exploit the flaw without user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability impacts availability (A:H) but does not affect confidentiality or integrity directly (C:N/I:N). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.7, indicating a high severity level. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability could be leveraged to cause denial of service or disrupt the availability of the Aviation Weather service by accessing or manipulating critical files or directories. Aviation Weather from NOAA is a tool providing meteorological data critical for aviation operations, and disruption could impact flight safety and operational planning.

For European organizations, especially those involved in aviation, air traffic control, and meteorological services, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Aviation Weather data is crucial for flight planning, safety assessments, and operational decision-making. Exploitation could lead to service outages or manipulation of weather data availability, potentially causing flight delays, safety risks, or operational inefficiencies. European aviation authorities, airlines, and airports relying on this software or its data feeds could face disruptions. Additionally, organizations integrating this data into broader systems could experience cascading effects impacting logistics and emergency response. The availability impact could also affect regulatory compliance and operational continuity, particularly in countries with stringent aviation safety regulations.

To mitigate this vulnerability, organizations should: 1) Immediately apply any available patches or updates from the vendor once released. Since no patch links are currently available, maintain close monitoring of vendor advisories. 2) Implement strict input validation and sanitization on all user-supplied file path inputs to prevent traversal sequences such as '../'. 3) Employ application-layer firewalls or intrusion prevention systems (IPS) with rules designed to detect and block path traversal attempts targeting the Aviation Weather application. 4) Restrict file system permissions to ensure the application runs with the least privileges necessary, limiting access to only required directories and files. 5) Monitor application logs for unusual file access patterns or errors indicative of exploitation attempts. 6) Consider network segmentation to isolate the Aviation Weather service from less trusted networks, reducing exposure. 7) Develop and test incident response plans specific to availability disruptions in aviation weather services to minimize operational impact.