CVE-2025-5914 is a vulnerability identified in the libarchive library, specifically within the archive_read_format_rar_seek_data() function. The flaw is caused by an integer overflow that leads to a double-free condition—a situation where the same memory is freed twice. This double-free can corrupt the heap, potentially allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code or trigger a denial-of-service (DoS) by crashing the application. The vulnerability is present in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, which bundles libarchive for handling various archive formats including RAR. The CVSS 3.1 score of 7.3 reflects a high severity, with attack vector local (AV:L), requiring low attack complexity (AC:L), privileges (PR:L), and user interaction (UI:R). This means an attacker needs some local access and user interaction but can exploit the vulnerability with relatively low complexity. The impact spans confidentiality, integrity, and availability due to the possibility of arbitrary code execution or service disruption. No public exploits are known yet, but the vulnerability's nature makes it a significant risk once exploited. The flaw affects systems that process RAR archives using libarchive, which is common in many Linux environments. The vulnerability was published on June 9, 2025, and is assigned by Red Hat, indicating vendor awareness and likely forthcoming patches.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-5914 can be substantial, particularly for those using Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 in production environments. Exploitation could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to full system compromise, data breaches, or disruption of critical services. This is especially concerning for sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure where confidentiality and availability are paramount. The requirement for local privileges and user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, as insider threats or social engineering could facilitate attacks. The vulnerability could also be leveraged in multi-stage attacks to escalate privileges or move laterally within networks. Given the widespread use of RHEL in enterprise and public sector environments across Europe, the threat could affect a broad range of organizations, potentially impacting data integrity and operational continuity.

1. Apply official patches from Red Hat as soon as they become available to address the vulnerability in libarchive. 2. Until patches are deployed, restrict local user permissions to limit access to systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, especially those processing RAR archives. 3. Implement strict controls on user interactions that involve opening or extracting RAR files, including user training to recognize suspicious files. 4. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions that can detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Monitor system logs and audit trails for unusual memory-related errors or crashes in applications using libarchive. 6. Consider isolating or sandboxing applications that handle archive extraction to contain potential exploitation. 7. Regularly update and audit software dependencies to minimize exposure to known vulnerabilities. 8. Coordinate with incident response teams to prepare for potential exploitation scenarios involving this vulnerability.