CVE-2025-49180 identifies a critical integer overflow vulnerability in the RandR extension of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, specifically within the RRChangeProviderProperty function. This function is responsible for changing properties of display providers but does not adequately validate the input size parameters. As a result, when calculating the total size of memory to allocate, an integer overflow or wraparound can occur, causing the system to allocate less memory than required. This memory misallocation can lead to heap-based buffer overflows or memory corruption, which attackers can leverage to execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service. The vulnerability requires local access with low privileges and does not require user interaction, increasing its exploitability in multi-user environments. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8 reflects high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and privileges needed. Although no public exploits are currently known, the nature of the flaw suggests that exploitation could lead to full system compromise. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 is widely used in enterprise and government environments, making this vulnerability a significant concern for organizations relying on this OS version. The RandR extension is commonly used in graphical environments, so systems running GUI sessions are primarily affected. The flaw was reserved on June 3, 2025, and published on June 17, 2025, indicating recent discovery and disclosure.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk, particularly for those running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 in desktop or server environments with graphical interfaces. Exploitation could allow attackers to escalate privileges, execute arbitrary code, or cause denial of service, potentially disrupting critical business operations and compromising sensitive data. Sectors such as finance, government, telecommunications, and critical infrastructure are especially vulnerable due to their reliance on Red Hat Enterprise Linux and the strategic importance of maintaining system integrity and availability. The local attack vector means that insider threats or compromised user accounts could be leveraged to exploit this flaw. The absence of required user interaction facilitates automated or stealthy exploitation in multi-user systems. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, successful exploitation could lead to data breaches, service outages, and loss of trust. The lack of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation before active attacks emerge.

Organizations should prioritize applying official patches from Red Hat as soon as they become available to address this vulnerability. Until patches are deployed, restrict local access to systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, especially those with graphical environments using the RandR extension. Implement strict user account controls and monitoring to detect unusual activities related to display property changes or memory allocation anomalies. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to identify potential exploitation attempts. Consider disabling or limiting the RandR extension where feasible in environments that do not require dynamic display configuration. Regularly audit and update system configurations to minimize attack surfaces. Additionally, educate system administrators and users about the risks of local privilege escalation vulnerabilities and the importance of maintaining updated systems. Establish incident response procedures to quickly contain and remediate any suspected exploitation.