CVE-2025-60751 identifies a buffer overflow vulnerability in GeographicLib version 2.5, specifically within the GeoConvert DMS::InternalDecode function. GeographicLib is a widely used library for geographic coordinate conversions and geospatial computations. The vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking during the decoding process of Degrees, Minutes, Seconds (DMS) formatted geographic coordinates, leading to a classic stack-based buffer overflow (CWE-121). This flaw allows an attacker to send specially crafted input that overflows the buffer, corrupting adjacent memory. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.5 reflects a high severity, with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), no confidentiality or integrity impact (C:N/I:N), but high impact on availability (A:H). Exploiting this vulnerability can cause application crashes or denial of service, potentially disrupting services relying on GeographicLib. Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability's characteristics make it a candidate for future exploitation. GeographicLib is often embedded in geospatial software, navigation systems, and mapping services, which are critical in various industries including transportation, defense, and utilities.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-60751 is the potential disruption of services that depend on GeographicLib for geospatial data processing. This includes transportation logistics, emergency response systems, telecommunications, and critical infrastructure management. A successful exploit could lead to denial of service conditions, causing outages or degraded performance in systems that rely on accurate geographic computations. While confidentiality and integrity are not directly affected, availability impacts can have cascading effects on operational continuity and safety-critical applications. Organizations in sectors such as aviation, maritime navigation, and urban planning may experience operational delays or failures. Additionally, the lack of required privileges or user interaction lowers the barrier for attackers to exploit this vulnerability remotely, increasing the risk profile for exposed systems.

Currently, no official patches are listed for this vulnerability; therefore, organizations should proactively implement several mitigation strategies. First, monitor GeographicLib project communications for patches or updates addressing CVE-2025-60751 and apply them promptly once available. In the interim, apply strict input validation and sanitization on all geographic coordinate data entering systems using GeographicLib to prevent malformed inputs from triggering the overflow. Employ compiler-based security features such as stack canaries, Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), and Data Execution Prevention (DEP) to reduce exploitation success. Conduct code audits and fuzz testing on the GeoConvert DMS::InternalDecode function to identify and remediate unsafe memory operations. Where feasible, isolate or sandbox applications using GeographicLib to limit the impact of potential crashes. Finally, maintain robust monitoring and incident response capabilities to detect and respond to denial of service attempts targeting this vulnerability.