CVE-2025-53518 is an integer overflow vulnerability classified under CWE-190, found in the ABF (Axon Binary Format) parsing functionality of The Biosig Project's libbiosig library, specifically in version 3.9.0 and the master branch (commit 35a819fa). The vulnerability arises when the library processes specially crafted ABF files, causing an integer overflow or wraparound during parsing operations. This overflow can corrupt memory management logic, enabling an attacker to execute arbitrary code remotely by supplying a malicious ABF file. The vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over a network if the affected software processes untrusted ABF files. The CVSS v3.1 score of 9.8 reflects the critical nature of this flaw, with attack vector being network-based, low attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. The impact spans confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as arbitrary code execution could lead to full system compromise. The Biosig Project is widely used in biomedical signal processing and research environments, where ABF files are common. Currently, no public patches or exploits are reported, but the vulnerability's severity demands urgent attention from users of the affected versions.

For European organizations, especially those in biomedical research, healthcare, and neuroinformatics, this vulnerability poses a critical risk. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access, data theft, manipulation of sensitive biomedical data, or disruption of research and clinical operations. Given the reliance on libbiosig for processing electrophysiological data, compromised systems could affect patient diagnostics, research integrity, and intellectual property. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely without authentication increases the risk of widespread exploitation if malicious ABF files are introduced via network shares, email attachments, or compromised data repositories. This could also lead to lateral movement within networks, impacting broader organizational infrastructure. The critical severity and ease of exploitation underscore the potential for significant operational and reputational damage within European biomedical sectors.

Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting the processing of ABF files to trusted sources only and implementing strict input validation and sanitization to detect malformed or suspicious ABF files before parsing. Network-level controls such as file scanning and sandboxing of ABF files can help prevent malicious payloads from reaching vulnerable applications. Organizations should monitor logs for unusual ABF file processing activities and deploy intrusion detection systems tuned to detect exploitation attempts targeting libbiosig. Since no official patches are currently available, consider isolating or limiting access to systems running vulnerable libbiosig versions, especially those exposed to untrusted networks. Engage with The Biosig Project community or maintainers for timely updates and patches. Additionally, applying application whitelisting and enforcing least privilege principles on systems processing ABF files can reduce the impact of potential exploitation.