CVE-2025-31180 identifies a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the CANVAS_text() function of gnuplot, an open-source plotting utility widely used for scientific and engineering data visualization. This flaw causes the application to attempt to access memory through a NULL pointer, resulting in a segmentation fault that crashes the application or potentially the host system. The vulnerability is classified with a CVSS 3.1 score of 6.2 (medium severity), reflecting that it requires local access (AV:L), no privileges (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N) to exploit. The impact is limited to availability, causing denial of service (DoS) by crashing the affected process. There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no official patches or fixes have been linked yet. The vulnerability was published on March 27, 2025, and assigned by Red Hat. Given gnuplot's role in many research and industrial environments, this vulnerability could disrupt workflows if exploited. However, the requirement for local access and lack of remote exploitability reduce the overall risk. Organizations should monitor for crashes related to gnuplot and prepare to apply patches once released.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-31180 is denial of service affecting systems running gnuplot, particularly in scientific research, engineering, and academic institutions where gnuplot is commonly used. The segmentation fault can cause application crashes, potentially interrupting data visualization tasks and automated workflows relying on gnuplot. While this does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, availability disruptions can delay critical analyses and operational processes. Organizations with multi-user environments or shared systems are at higher risk since exploitation requires local access. The lack of remote exploitability limits the threat surface, but insider threats or compromised local accounts could trigger the vulnerability. In sectors like aerospace, automotive, pharmaceuticals, and universities, where gnuplot usage is prevalent, this could lead to productivity losses and operational delays. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk, but the medium severity rating warrants proactive mitigation.

1. Restrict local access to systems running gnuplot to trusted and authenticated users only, minimizing the risk of exploitation by unauthorized personnel. 2. Monitor system and application logs for unexpected gnuplot crashes or segmentation faults to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 3. Implement application whitelisting and endpoint protection to prevent unauthorized execution of malicious scripts or inputs that could trigger the vulnerability. 4. Educate users about the risks of running untrusted gnuplot scripts or data files, especially in multi-user environments. 5. Prepare for patch deployment by tracking official gnuplot releases and vendor advisories, applying updates promptly once a fix is available. 6. Consider sandboxing or containerizing gnuplot executions to isolate crashes and prevent system-wide impact. 7. Review and harden local user permissions and access controls to reduce the likelihood of local exploitation. 8. In critical environments, develop fallback procedures to handle potential downtime caused by gnuplot crashes.