CVE-2025-48005 is a critical heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified in the RHS2000 parsing functionality of The Biosig Project's libbiosig library, specifically affecting versions 3.9.0 and the Master Branch (commit 35a819fa). Libbiosig is an open-source library used for biosignal processing, including EEG, ECG, and other physiological signal data. The vulnerability arises when the library processes specially crafted RHS2000 files, a format used for storing biosignal data. Due to improper bounds checking during parsing, an attacker can cause a heap buffer overflow, which may lead to arbitrary code execution on the host system without requiring any privileges or user interaction. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the high severity, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. Exploitation could allow an attacker to execute malicious code remotely by tricking a victim into processing a malicious RHS2000 file, potentially compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's characteristics make it a significant risk, especially in environments where biosignal data processing is automated or integrated into larger systems.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial, particularly in healthcare, research institutions, and companies involved in biomedical engineering or neurotechnology. Compromise of systems processing biosignal data could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive patient or research data, manipulation of medical device outputs, or disruption of critical healthcare services. Given the critical nature of the vulnerability, attackers could gain full control over affected systems, potentially leading to data breaches, loss of data integrity, or denial of service. This is especially concerning for hospitals and research centers that rely on automated biosignal analysis for diagnostics or treatment monitoring. Additionally, organizations involved in developing or deploying medical devices that incorporate libbiosig may face regulatory and compliance risks if exploited. The vulnerability's network-exploitable nature increases the attack surface, as malicious files could be delivered via email, file sharing, or compromised websites.

To mitigate this threat, European organizations should first identify all instances where libbiosig 3.9.0 or the affected master branch is used, particularly in biosignal processing pipelines and medical device software. Immediate steps include: 1) Applying patches or updates from The Biosig Project once available; if no official patch exists yet, consider temporarily disabling RHS2000 file parsing or implementing strict input validation and sandboxing around the parsing functionality. 2) Employing application-level controls such as file integrity monitoring and restricting file sources to trusted origins to prevent malicious RHS2000 files from entering the environment. 3) Using runtime protections like heap overflow detection tools (e.g., ASLR, DEP, or compiler-based mitigations) to reduce exploitation likelihood. 4) Conducting thorough code audits and penetration testing on systems integrating libbiosig to identify and remediate potential exploitation paths. 5) Training staff to recognize and handle suspicious files and implementing network-level controls to detect and block delivery of malicious payloads. 6) Collaborating with medical device vendors to ensure timely updates and compliance with cybersecurity standards.