CVE-2025-31177 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified in the utf8_copy_one function of gnuplot, a widely used plotting utility for data visualization. The flaw arises when the function improperly handles UTF-8 encoded input, leading to an overflow in heap memory. This can cause the application to crash, resulting in a denial of service (DoS) condition. The vulnerability requires local access with low privileges (AV:L/PR:L), meaning an attacker must have some level of access to the system but does not need elevated privileges. No user interaction is required (UI:N), and the scope is unchanged (S:U), indicating the vulnerability affects only the vulnerable component without impacting other system components. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.5, reflecting a medium severity primarily due to the impact on availability (A:H) without compromising confidentiality or integrity. There are currently no known exploits in the wild, and no official patches have been linked, though the vulnerability has been published and reserved by Red Hat. The vulnerability could be triggered by crafted UTF-8 input processed by gnuplot, potentially crashing the application and disrupting workflows that depend on it.

For European organizations, the primary impact is on availability, as exploitation leads to application crashes causing denial of service. Organizations relying on gnuplot for scientific research, engineering, data analysis, or academic purposes may face interruptions in their data visualization tasks. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise data confidentiality or integrity, service disruptions could delay critical operations or research activities. Since exploitation requires local access, the risk is higher in environments where multiple users share systems or where attackers can gain initial footholds. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but unpatched systems remain vulnerable to potential future attacks. The impact is thus moderate but significant for sectors dependent on reliable plotting tools.

1. Restrict local access to systems running gnuplot to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of exploitation by unauthorized personnel. 2. Monitor gnuplot processes for unexpected crashes or abnormal behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. 3. Implement application whitelisting and endpoint detection to detect and prevent execution of malicious inputs targeting gnuplot. 4. Once patches or updates are released by gnuplot maintainers or Linux distributions, apply them promptly to remediate the vulnerability. 5. Consider running gnuplot in isolated environments or containers to limit the impact of potential crashes on broader systems. 6. Educate users about the risks of processing untrusted or malformed UTF-8 data with gnuplot. 7. Regularly audit and update software inventories to ensure vulnerable versions are identified and managed.