CVE-2025-49180 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the RandR (Resize and Rotate) extension of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 10. The flaw exists in the RRChangeProviderProperty function, which is responsible for modifying properties of display providers. Specifically, the function does not properly validate input parameters, leading to an integer overflow or wraparound when calculating the total size of memory to allocate. This miscalculation can cause the system to allocate insufficient memory, potentially resulting in buffer overflows or memory corruption. Such conditions can be exploited by an attacker with local privileges to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or cause denial of service by crashing the system or the X server managing graphical display. The vulnerability requires low privileges (local access) but no user interaction, and the attacker must have some level of access to the system to trigger the flaw. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, given the potential for full system compromise. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or mitigation links were provided at the time of publication (June 17, 2025).

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially for enterprises and government agencies relying on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 in their infrastructure. The RandR extension is commonly used in graphical environments, so systems running graphical user interfaces or remote desktop services are particularly vulnerable. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access, data breaches, or service outages, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical systems. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and public administration could face operational disruptions or data loss. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged as a stepping stone for lateral movement within networks, increasing the risk of broader compromise. Given the high severity and the potential for privilege escalation, timely remediation is crucial to prevent attackers from exploiting this flaw to gain control over affected systems.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should: 1) Monitor Red Hat's official security advisories closely and apply patches immediately once available, as no patch links were provided at the time of disclosure. 2) Restrict local access to systems running RHEL 10, limiting user privileges and enforcing strict access controls to reduce the risk of exploitation. 3) Disable or restrict the use of the RandR extension or the RRChangeProviderProperty function where feasible, especially on systems that do not require graphical interfaces. 4) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions capable of detecting anomalous behavior related to memory corruption or privilege escalation attempts. 5) Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability scans focusing on RHEL 10 deployments to identify unpatched systems. 6) Implement network segmentation to isolate critical systems and limit the impact of potential exploitation. 7) Educate system administrators about the risks associated with this vulnerability and the importance of applying updates promptly.