CVE-2025-47270 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-400 (Uncontrolled Resource Consumption) found in the nimiq/core-rs-albatross project, a Rust-based implementation of the Nimiq Proof-of-Stake blockchain protocol utilizing the Albatross consensus algorithm. The vulnerability exists in the nimiq-network-libp2p subcrate, specifically in the handling of Discovery network messages used for peer discovery. The implementation allocates memory buffers based on a length value provided by a peer without enforcing an upper bound. Since the length is a 32-bit unsigned integer (u32), an attacker can specify a length up to 4 GB, forcing the node to allocate excessive memory. This uncontrolled allocation can lead to memory exhaustion, causing the node to crash or become unresponsive, effectively resulting in a Denial of Service (DoS). Discovery messages are exchanged regularly, allowing repeated exploitation to maintain the DoS condition. The vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable by any peer on the network. The vendor released a patch in version 1.1.0 that limits the maximum Discovery message size to 1 MB and implements incremental buffer resizing to prevent large allocations. No workarounds are available, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date.

The primary impact of CVE-2025-47270 is Denial of Service, which can disrupt the availability of nodes running the vulnerable nimiq/core-rs-albatross versions. For European organizations operating blockchain nodes or infrastructure relying on the Nimiq protocol, this can lead to service outages, loss of network participation, and potential financial or reputational damage. Since the vulnerability allows remote exploitation without authentication, attackers can easily target exposed nodes to cause crashes or instability. This may also affect the resilience and reliability of blockchain networks in Europe, potentially undermining trust in services built on Nimiq. Organizations providing blockchain-based financial services, exchanges, or decentralized applications using Nimiq are particularly at risk. The repeated nature of the attack could also increase operational costs due to recovery efforts and monitoring. Although no data confidentiality or integrity impact is reported, the availability impact alone is significant for critical blockchain infrastructure.

To mitigate CVE-2025-47270, European organizations should immediately upgrade all instances of nimiq/core-rs-albatross to version 1.1.0 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. This update enforces a 1 MB limit on Discovery message sizes and uses incremental buffer resizing to prevent excessive memory allocation. Network administrators should restrict access to Nimiq nodes to trusted peers where possible, using network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure to untrusted or unknown nodes. Monitoring and alerting should be enhanced to detect abnormal memory usage or frequent node restarts indicative of exploitation attempts. Organizations should also review their incident response plans to handle potential DoS attacks targeting blockchain infrastructure. Since no workarounds exist, patching remains the primary defense. Additionally, participation in Nimiq community channels and security advisories is recommended to stay informed about any emerging exploits or further mitigations.