CVE-2025-4499 is a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified in version 1.0 of the code-projects Simple Hospital Management System, specifically within the 'Add' function of the 'Add Information' component. The vulnerability arises when the arguments x[i].name or x[i].disease are manipulated, leading to an overflow on the stack. This type of vulnerability occurs when data exceeding the allocated buffer size is written to the stack, potentially overwriting adjacent memory, including return addresses or control data. Such conditions can allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code, cause application crashes, or corrupt data. The attack vector requires local access with low privileges (PR:L) and does not require user interaction (UI:N). The CVSS 4.0 base score is 4.8, indicating a medium severity level, primarily due to the local attack vector and limited scope of impact. The vulnerability does not require authentication (AT:N), but the attacker must have local access to the system. There is no indication of known exploits in the wild, and no patches or mitigations have been published at the time of reporting. The vulnerability affects a healthcare management system, which typically handles sensitive patient data, making the exploitation potentially impactful in terms of confidentiality and integrity. However, the limited attack vector reduces the likelihood of widespread exploitation. The vulnerability's technical details suggest that exploitation could lead to partial compromise of the system, including potential code execution or denial of service, but the requirement for local access limits the threat to insiders or attackers who have already breached perimeter defenses.

For European organizations, especially healthcare providers using the Simple Hospital Management System version 1.0, this vulnerability poses a risk to patient data confidentiality and system integrity. Exploitation could allow malicious insiders or attackers with local access to execute arbitrary code or disrupt hospital management operations, potentially affecting patient care and data availability. Given the critical nature of healthcare services, even localized disruptions can have significant consequences. Moreover, unauthorized access or data corruption could lead to violations of GDPR and other data protection regulations, resulting in legal and financial repercussions. The medium severity rating reflects the limited attack vector but does not diminish the importance of addressing the vulnerability promptly in environments where this software is deployed. European hospitals and clinics using this system should be particularly vigilant, as healthcare infrastructure is often targeted for ransomware and data theft. The lack of available patches increases the urgency for implementing compensating controls to mitigate risk.

Since no official patches are currently available, European organizations should implement strict access controls to limit local access to systems running the vulnerable software. This includes enforcing strong authentication and authorization policies, restricting physical and remote access to trusted personnel only. Network segmentation should isolate hospital management systems from general user networks to reduce the risk of lateral movement by attackers. Monitoring and logging local access attempts can help detect suspicious activities early. Additionally, organizations should consider deploying application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. If feasible, organizations should evaluate alternative hospital management solutions or upgrade to newer, patched versions once available. Conducting regular security audits and staff training on insider threat awareness will further reduce the risk of exploitation. Finally, organizations should prepare incident response plans specific to healthcare IT environments to quickly address any exploitation attempts.