CVE-2025-5917 is a security vulnerability identified in the libarchive library, specifically affecting Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. The flaw is an 'off-by-one' error during the handling of prefixes and suffixes for file names, resulting in a 1-byte out-of-bounds write overflow. Although the overflow is limited to a single byte, this can corrupt adjacent memory, potentially causing unpredictable program behavior or crashes. While the immediate impact on confidentiality and integrity is minimal, such memory corruption can sometimes be leveraged as a stepping stone for more complex exploitation chains, especially if combined with other vulnerabilities. The vulnerability requires local access with low privileges and user interaction, and the attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning an attacker must have some level of access to the system to exploit it. The CVSS score is low (2.8), reflecting limited impact and exploitation complexity. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability primarily affects systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 that use the libarchive library for file archiving and extraction tasks.

For European organizations, the direct impact of CVE-2025-5917 is relatively low due to the limited scope of the overflow and the requirement for local access and user interaction. However, organizations relying heavily on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 in environments where libarchive is used to process untrusted archives could face stability issues or denial of service from crashes. In sensitive environments, even minor memory corruptions can be leveraged in multi-stage attacks, potentially threatening system integrity. The vulnerability could disrupt automated processes involving archive extraction, impacting operational continuity. Given the low CVSS score and lack of known exploits, the immediate risk is low, but organizations should remain vigilant, especially those with critical infrastructure or compliance requirements where system stability and integrity are paramount.

Organizations should monitor Red Hat and libarchive project communications for official patches and apply them promptly once available. In the interim, limit local user privileges and restrict access to systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 to trusted personnel only. Avoid processing untrusted or unauthenticated archive files with libarchive-based tools. Implement application whitelisting and endpoint protection to detect anomalous behavior that could arise from exploitation attempts. Conduct regular system integrity checks and memory monitoring to identify potential corruption early. For environments with high security requirements, consider isolating archive extraction processes in sandboxed or containerized environments to contain potential impacts. Finally, ensure that user training emphasizes caution when handling archive files from unknown sources to reduce the risk of triggering the vulnerability.