CVE-2025-53518 is a critical integer overflow vulnerability identified in the ABF (Axon Binary Format) parsing functionality of The Biosig Project's libbiosig library, specifically affecting versions 3.9.0 and the Master Branch (commit 35a819fa). Libbiosig is an open-source library widely used for biosignal processing, including EEG, EMG, and other neurophysiological data formats. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of integer values during the parsing of specially crafted ABF files. An attacker can exploit this integer overflow or wraparound condition by supplying a maliciously crafted ABF file to an application that uses libbiosig for data processing. This overflow can lead to memory corruption, enabling arbitrary code execution without requiring any user interaction or privileges. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the vulnerability's critical nature, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. The impact spans confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as arbitrary code execution can lead to full system compromise. No known exploits have been observed in the wild yet, but the severity and ease of exploitation make this a high-risk vulnerability for any system processing ABF files using the affected libbiosig versions.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-53518 can be significant, especially in sectors relying on biosignal data analysis such as healthcare, neuroscience research, and biomedical engineering. Hospitals, research institutions, and medical device manufacturers using software dependent on libbiosig for processing ABF files could face risks of unauthorized system access, data breaches involving sensitive patient or research data, and potential disruption of critical medical or research operations. The arbitrary code execution capability could allow attackers to deploy ransomware, steal intellectual property, or manipulate clinical data, undermining patient safety and research integrity. Given the criticality and network exploitability, organizations with remote data processing or cloud-based analysis pipelines are particularly vulnerable. The absence of required privileges or user interaction increases the risk of automated or widespread exploitation attempts.

1. Immediate patching: Organizations should monitor The Biosig Project for official patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-53518 and apply them promptly once available. 2. Input validation: Implement strict validation and sanitization of ABF files before processing, including size and format checks to detect malformed or suspicious files. 3. Isolation: Run biosignal processing applications in sandboxed or containerized environments to limit the impact of potential exploitation. 4. Monitoring and detection: Deploy behavioral monitoring and anomaly detection systems to identify unusual application behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Access controls: Restrict network access to systems processing ABF files and limit file upload capabilities to trusted sources only. 6. Vendor engagement: Engage with software vendors and open-source maintainers to prioritize security reviews and incorporate secure coding practices in biosignal processing libraries. 7. Incident response readiness: Prepare incident response plans specific to exploitation scenarios involving biosignal data processing to enable rapid containment and recovery.