CVE-2025-48797 is a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability discovered in the GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) when processing certain TGA (Targa) image files. The flaw arises from improper handling of specially crafted TGA files, which causes GIMP to perform unsafe memory operations leading to heap corruption. This can result in application crashes or potentially allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running GIMP. The vulnerability is present in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Support (ELS) versions that include GIMP, as indicated by the vendor project information. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.3, reflecting high severity, with attack vector local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring low privileges (PR:L) and user interaction (UI:R). The scope remains unchanged (S:U), but the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high (C:H/I:H/A:H). No public exploits are known at this time, but the vulnerability's nature suggests that exploitation could lead to full compromise of the affected system. The flaw was reserved and published in late May 2025, with no patch links currently provided, indicating that remediation may be pending or in progress. The vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments where users open untrusted or externally sourced image files, such as graphic design, media, or content creation sectors.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk especially in industries that rely on GIMP for image editing, including media, publishing, education, and creative agencies. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution, allowing attackers to escalate privileges, exfiltrate sensitive data, or disrupt operations by causing application or system crashes. Since the attack requires local access and user interaction, insider threats or phishing campaigns delivering malicious TGA files are plausible attack vectors. The high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability means that critical systems could be compromised, potentially affecting business continuity and data protection compliance under regulations such as GDPR. Organizations running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 ELS, which is still in use in some enterprises due to extended support, are particularly vulnerable. The lack of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation before active exploitation occurs.

1. Monitor Red Hat and GIMP vendor advisories closely and apply official patches immediately once available to address CVE-2025-48797. 2. Until patches are released, restrict the use of GIMP to trusted users and environments, and avoid opening TGA files from untrusted or unknown sources. 3. Implement application sandboxing or containerization for GIMP to limit the impact of potential exploitation and prevent lateral movement. 4. Employ endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior or memory corruption indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Educate users about the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious image files, emphasizing caution with TGA files. 6. Review and tighten local user privileges to minimize the potential damage from exploitation requiring low privileges. 7. Use file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized changes to GIMP binaries or related libraries. 8. Consider disabling or uninstalling GIMP on systems where it is not essential to reduce the attack surface.