CVE-2025-33252 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-502, which concerns the deserialization of untrusted data within the NVIDIA NeMo Framework, a toolkit widely used for building conversational AI models. The flaw exists in all versions prior to 2.6.1 and allows an attacker with local access and low privileges to craft malicious serialized data that, when deserialized by the framework, can lead to remote code execution. This vulnerability also enables denial of service conditions, unauthorized information disclosure, and data tampering. The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8 reflects a high severity due to the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with relatively low attack complexity and no user interaction required. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-tenant or shared environments where untrusted users might have access to the system running NeMo. Although no public exploits have been reported, the potential for exploitation is significant given the framework’s use in AI development pipelines. The absence of patch links suggests that users must monitor NVIDIA’s advisories closely for updates. This vulnerability underscores the risks inherent in deserialization processes when input validation is insufficient or absent.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-33252 can be substantial, especially those involved in AI research, development, and deployment using NVIDIA NeMo. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized execution of code, potentially compromising AI model integrity and confidentiality of proprietary data. This could disrupt AI-driven services, cause operational downtime, and expose sensitive intellectual property or personal data, violating GDPR requirements. Denial of service could interrupt critical AI workflows, affecting business continuity. The vulnerability’s requirement for local privileges means insider threats or compromised accounts could escalate attacks. Given the increasing adoption of AI frameworks across sectors such as automotive, healthcare, finance, and telecommunications in Europe, the risk extends beyond IT departments to critical infrastructure and innovation hubs.

European organizations should immediately upgrade all NVIDIA NeMo Framework installations to version 2.6.1 or later once available. Until patched, restrict access to systems running NeMo to trusted users only and enforce strict access controls and monitoring. Implement application whitelisting and sandboxing to limit the impact of potential code execution. Conduct thorough input validation and avoid deserializing data from untrusted or unauthenticated sources. Employ network segmentation to isolate AI development environments from broader enterprise networks. Regularly audit logs for anomalous deserialization activities and deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of identifying suspicious behavior related to code execution. Engage in threat hunting focused on this vulnerability and prepare incident response plans specific to AI framework compromises. Collaborate with NVIDIA and security communities for timely updates and threat intelligence sharing.