CVE-2025-49179 is an integer overflow vulnerability identified in the X Record extension component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. Specifically, the vulnerability arises from the RecordSanityCheckRegisterClients function, which is responsible for validating client requests related to the X Record extension. This function does not adequately check for integer overflow or wraparound when computing the length of client requests. As a result, an attacker can craft a specially designed request that causes the length calculation to overflow, bypassing the intended length checks. This can lead to memory corruption, which may be exploited to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service conditions. The vulnerability requires local access with low privileges (PR:L), does not require user interaction (UI:N), and affects confidentiality and availability significantly (C:H, A:H), with some impact on integrity (I:L). The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component. Although no public exploits are known at this time, the vulnerability’s nature and CVSS score of 7.3 indicate a high risk. The flaw affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 installations that utilize the X Record extension, commonly found in graphical environments relying on the X Window System. Given the widespread use of Red Hat Enterprise Linux in enterprise and government environments, this vulnerability poses a notable threat if left unpatched.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-49179 can be significant, especially for those running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 in environments that utilize the X Window System and the X Record extension. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized data disclosure (confidentiality impact), partial integrity loss, and denial of service (availability impact) through system crashes or memory corruption. This could disrupt critical services, particularly in sectors such as finance, telecommunications, government, and research institutions that rely on Linux-based graphical environments. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but insider threats or compromised user accounts could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges or destabilize systems. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the high CVSS score and potential for severe impact necessitate urgent attention. Additionally, the vulnerability may affect development and testing environments where graphical interfaces are used, potentially leading to broader operational disruptions.

Organizations should implement the following specific mitigation steps: 1) Monitor Red Hat’s security advisories closely and apply patches or updates for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 as soon as they become available to address CVE-2025-49179. 2) Restrict local access to systems running the vulnerable X Record extension to trusted users only, minimizing the risk of exploitation by unprivileged users. 3) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions to detect and prevent suspicious activities that may attempt to exploit memory corruption. 4) Conduct regular audits of user accounts and privileges to ensure no unauthorized local access is possible. 5) Consider disabling the X Record extension if it is not required for operational purposes, thereby removing the attack surface. 6) Use system integrity monitoring tools to detect anomalous behavior or crashes related to the X Window System. 7) Educate system administrators and users about the risks of local privilege escalation vulnerabilities and the importance of applying security updates promptly. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on access control, monitoring, and configuration hardening specific to the vulnerability context.