CVE-2025-2913 is a use-after-free vulnerability identified in the HDF5 library, specifically affecting versions 1.14.0 through 1.14.6. The flaw resides in the function H5FL__blk_gc_list within the source file src/H5FL.c. The vulnerability arises due to improper handling and manipulation of the argument H5FL_blk_head_t, which leads to a use-after-free condition. This type of vulnerability occurs when a program continues to use a pointer after the memory it points to has been freed, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code, cause a denial of service, or corrupt data. The vulnerability requires local access with low privileges (PR:L) and does not require user interaction (UI:N). The attack complexity is low (AC:L), and no authentication is required (AT:N). The CVSS 4.0 base score is 4.8, categorizing it as medium severity. The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality, integrity, or availability directly (VC:N, VI:N, VA:L), but it does have a limited impact on availability. Exploitation requires local access, and no known exploits are currently in the wild. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed, which increases the risk of exploitation in the future. HDF5 is a widely used data model, library, and file format for storing and managing large amounts of data, commonly used in scientific computing, engineering, and data analysis applications. The use-after-free vulnerability could be leveraged by a local attacker to cause application crashes or potentially escalate privileges if combined with other vulnerabilities or misconfigurations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-2913 depends largely on their use of the HDF5 library within their software stacks. Organizations involved in scientific research, engineering, data analytics, and industries such as aerospace, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and academia are more likely to use HDF5 extensively. A successful exploitation could lead to denial of service conditions or local privilege escalation, potentially disrupting critical data processing workflows or research computations. While the vulnerability requires local access, insider threats or compromised user accounts could exploit it to cause operational disruptions. The medium severity rating indicates that while the threat is not immediately critical, it should not be ignored, especially in environments where data integrity and availability are paramount. The lack of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate risk but the public disclosure means attackers could develop exploits. European organizations with stringent data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) must consider the risk of data unavailability or corruption due to exploitation, which could lead to compliance issues and reputational damage.

To mitigate CVE-2025-2913, European organizations should: 1) Immediately identify and inventory all systems and applications using HDF5 versions 1.14.0 through 1.14.6. 2) Apply patches or updates from the HDF5 maintainers as soon as they become available; if no official patch exists yet, consider upgrading to a newer, unaffected version once released. 3) Restrict local access to systems running vulnerable HDF5 versions by enforcing strict access controls and monitoring for suspicious local activity. 4) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 5) Conduct regular security awareness training to reduce insider threat risks and ensure users understand the importance of reporting unusual system behavior. 6) For critical environments, consider sandboxing or isolating applications using HDF5 to limit the impact of potential exploitation. 7) Monitor relevant threat intelligence sources for updates on exploit availability and adjust defenses accordingly.