CVE-2025-4582 is a medium-severity buffer over-read vulnerability classified under CWE-126 (Buffer Over-read) and CWE-193 (Off-by-one Error) affecting RTI Connext Professional, a middleware product widely used for real-time data connectivity in distributed systems. The vulnerability exists in the core libraries of Connext Professional versions from 4.4a up to but not including 7.6.0, specifically impacting versions 4.4a before 5.2.*, 5.3.0 before 5.3.*, 6.0.0 before 6.0.*, 6.1.0 before 6.1.2.26, 7.0.0 before 7.3.0.8, and 7.4.0 before 7.6.0. The flaw is an off-by-one error leading to a buffer over-read during file manipulation operations. This means that the software reads beyond the allocated buffer boundary by one byte, potentially exposing adjacent memory contents. Although this vulnerability does not allow direct code execution or privilege escalation, it can lead to information disclosure or cause application instability due to reading invalid memory. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 4.8 (medium), reflecting that the attack vector requires local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and low privileges (PR:L). The vulnerability does not affect confidentiality, integrity, or availability to a high degree but poses a risk of limited information leakage or application errors. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or fixes have been linked yet, indicating that mitigation may require vendor updates once available. The vulnerability affects core middleware libraries that are often embedded in critical real-time systems, including industrial automation, aerospace, defense, and automotive sectors, where RTI Connext Professional is commonly deployed.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-4582 depends largely on the deployment of RTI Connext Professional within their infrastructure. Given that RTI Connext is used in mission-critical real-time systems, especially in sectors such as manufacturing automation, transportation, aerospace, and defense, the vulnerability could lead to unintended information disclosure or system instability. This could compromise sensitive operational data or disrupt real-time communications, potentially affecting safety-critical processes. While the vulnerability requires local access and low privileges, insider threats or compromised internal systems could exploit it to gain unauthorized information or cause denial of service conditions. European organizations in regulated industries with stringent data protection requirements (e.g., automotive manufacturers, aerospace companies, and critical infrastructure operators) may face compliance risks if the vulnerability is exploited. Additionally, disruption in real-time data exchange can have cascading effects on supply chains and operational continuity. However, the medium severity and lack of known exploits reduce the immediate risk, but proactive mitigation is advised to prevent future exploitation.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting local access to systems running vulnerable versions of RTI Connext Professional, enforcing strict access controls and monitoring for suspicious local activity. 2. Network segmentation should be employed to isolate critical real-time systems using RTI Connext from less trusted networks to reduce the attack surface. 3. Implement application-level input validation and error handling to detect and prevent malformed file manipulation requests that could trigger the buffer over-read. 4. Monitor system logs and application behavior for anomalies indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected crashes or memory access errors. 5. Engage with RTI for official patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-4582 and plan timely deployment once available. 6. Conduct internal audits to inventory all instances of RTI Connext Professional and prioritize patching or mitigation in high-risk environments. 7. Employ runtime application self-protection (RASP) or memory protection mechanisms where feasible to detect and prevent buffer over-read conditions. 8. Train system administrators and developers on secure coding practices to avoid similar off-by-one errors in custom integrations or extensions.