CVE-2025-32988 is a double-free vulnerability identified in the GnuTLS library, specifically within the export logic handling Subject Alternative Name (SAN) entries that include an otherName field. The root cause is incorrect ownership management of ASN.1 structures when the type-id Object Identifier (OID) is invalid or malformed. In this scenario, GnuTLS erroneously calls asn1_delete_structure() on an ASN.1 node it does not own, resulting in a double-free condition when the parent function or caller subsequently attempts to free the same memory. This vulnerability can be triggered remotely using only public GnuTLS APIs without requiring authentication or user interaction, although the attack complexity is high due to the need to craft malformed SAN entries with specific invalid OIDs. The impact of exploitation ranges from denial of service—causing application or system crashes—to potential memory corruption, which could be leveraged for further exploitation depending on allocator behavior and memory layout. The vulnerability affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, which bundles GnuTLS for cryptographic operations and secure communications. No known exploits are currently in the wild, but the flaw's presence in a widely used TLS library underscores the importance of timely patching. The CVSS v3.1 score is 6.5, reflecting medium severity with network attack vector, high attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, no confidentiality impact, low integrity impact, and high availability impact.

For European organizations, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to the availability and integrity of systems relying on GnuTLS for TLS/SSL communications, particularly those running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. Exploitation could lead to denial of service conditions, disrupting critical services such as web servers, VPN gateways, and other networked applications that use GnuTLS for secure communication. Memory corruption could potentially be escalated to remote code execution, although this is not confirmed. The impact is especially critical for sectors with stringent uptime and security requirements, including finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure. Disruptions could lead to operational downtime, loss of trust, and compliance issues under regulations like GDPR. The medium severity rating suggests that while exploitation is not trivial, the widespread use of GnuTLS in European enterprise environments means the threat should be taken seriously.

Organizations should prioritize applying official patches from Red Hat as soon as they become available to address this vulnerability. In the interim, auditing and validating certificates and SAN entries to detect malformed or suspicious otherName fields can reduce exposure. Employing runtime memory protection techniques such as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), stack canaries, and memory-safe allocators can mitigate exploitation impact. Network-level protections like Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) should be configured to detect and block anomalous TLS handshake patterns that may trigger the vulnerability. Additionally, organizations should monitor logs for crashes or unusual behavior in services using GnuTLS and prepare incident response plans for potential denial of service events. Regular vulnerability scanning and threat intelligence updates will help maintain awareness of any emerging exploits.