CVE-2025-48752 is a use-after-free vulnerability (CWE-416) identified in version 0.2.2 of the process-sync crate, a Rust library developed by Forestryks. The vulnerability arises because the drop function in this crate does not verify whether a pthread_mutex is unlocked before attempting to release or free associated resources. In multithreaded programming, pthread_mutexes are used to ensure mutual exclusion when accessing shared resources. If the drop function attempts to free or manipulate a mutex that is still locked, it can lead to undefined behavior, including use-after-free conditions where memory is accessed after it has been deallocated. This can cause application crashes or potentially allow attackers to trigger denial of service by exploiting the improper synchronization and memory management. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 2.9, indicating a low severity vulnerability. The vector indicates that the attack requires local access (AV:L), high attack complexity (AC:H), no privileges (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and impacts only availability (A:L) without affecting confidentiality or integrity. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability is specific to a single version (0.2.2) of the process-sync-rs crate, which is used in Rust applications requiring process synchronization primitives. The issue is technical and subtle, related to the lifecycle management of synchronization primitives in concurrent programming environments.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is primarily on the availability and stability of applications that depend on the affected version of the process-sync-rs crate. Since the vulnerability can cause use-after-free conditions leading to crashes or denial of service, critical systems that rely on Rust-based software using this crate for process synchronization could experience unexpected downtime or instability. This is particularly relevant for industries with high concurrency demands such as financial services, telecommunications, and industrial control systems. However, the low CVSS score and the requirement for local access and high attack complexity limit the likelihood of widespread exploitation. Confidentiality and integrity are not impacted, reducing the risk of data breaches or unauthorized data modification. Nonetheless, organizations running Rust applications with this dependency should be aware of potential service disruptions and plan accordingly. The absence of known exploits and patches suggests that the threat is currently low but could increase if exploit code emerges or if the crate is widely used in critical infrastructure components.

Organizations should first identify whether their Rust applications use the process-sync crate version 0.2.2. If so, they should monitor Forestryks’ official channels for patches or updates addressing this vulnerability. In the meantime, developers should consider upgrading to a later, fixed version of the crate once available or replacing the crate with alternative synchronization libraries that correctly handle mutex lifecycle management. Code audits focusing on proper mutex locking and unlocking patterns should be conducted to prevent similar issues. Additionally, running applications with least privilege and isolating critical processes can reduce the impact of potential crashes. Employing runtime monitoring and crash detection tools can help quickly identify and respond to instability caused by this vulnerability. Since exploitation requires local access and is complex, restricting access to trusted users and systems is a practical preventive measure. Finally, incorporating fuzz testing and static analysis tools in the development lifecycle can help detect such concurrency and memory management issues early.