CVE-2025-7039: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') in Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
A flaw was found in glib. An integer overflow during temporary file creation leads to an out-of-bounds memory access, allowing an attacker to potentially perform path traversal or access private temporary file content by creating symbolic links. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to manipulate file paths and access unauthorized data. The core issue stems from insufficient validation of file path lengths during temporary file operations.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2025-7039 identifies a vulnerability in the glib component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, where an integer overflow occurs during the creation of temporary files. This overflow results in out-of-bounds memory access, which can be exploited by a local attacker to perform path traversal attacks or access private temporary file contents. The vulnerability arises due to insufficient validation of file path lengths during temporary file operations, allowing attackers to create symbolic links that redirect file operations outside the intended restricted directories. The flaw does not require user interaction but does require local access with a high attack complexity, meaning exploitation is non-trivial. The vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or availability but can lead to limited unauthorized information disclosure by reading private temporary files. No known public exploits currently exist, and the CVSS v3.1 base score is 3.7, reflecting low severity. The issue underscores the importance of robust input validation and secure handling of temporary files in system libraries. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 users should monitor for patches and updates addressing this flaw to prevent potential exploitation.
Potential Impact
The primary impact of CVE-2025-7039 is limited unauthorized access to private temporary file contents on affected Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 systems. Since exploitation requires local access and has high complexity, the risk of widespread compromise is low. However, in multi-user environments or systems with sensitive temporary data, this vulnerability could allow attackers to bypass pathname restrictions and access data they should not see, potentially leading to information leakage. The flaw does not affect system availability or integrity directly but could be leveraged as part of a larger attack chain. Organizations relying on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 in critical infrastructure, shared hosting, or development environments may face increased risk if local user controls are weak. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate the need for remediation. Overall, the impact is low but non-negligible in environments where local user privilege separation is critical.
Mitigation Recommendations
To mitigate CVE-2025-7039, organizations should: 1) Apply official patches from Red Hat as soon as they become available to address the integer overflow and path validation issues in glib. 2) Restrict local user permissions to minimize the number of users who can create or manipulate temporary files, especially in shared or multi-user systems. 3) Implement strict filesystem permissions and use secure temporary directories (e.g., with the sticky bit set) to prevent unauthorized symbolic link creation. 4) Monitor system logs for unusual file access patterns or symbolic link creations in temporary directories. 5) Employ security mechanisms such as SELinux or AppArmor to enforce access controls on temporary file operations. 6) Educate system administrators about the risks of local privilege escalation and path traversal vulnerabilities to ensure prompt response. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local user capabilities and monitoring temporary file usage patterns.
Affected Countries
United States, Germany, India, United Kingdom, France, Japan, Canada, Australia, Brazil, South Korea
CVE-2025-7039: Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal') in Red Hat Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
Description
A flaw was found in glib. An integer overflow during temporary file creation leads to an out-of-bounds memory access, allowing an attacker to potentially perform path traversal or access private temporary file content by creating symbolic links. This vulnerability allows a local attacker to manipulate file paths and access unauthorized data. The core issue stems from insufficient validation of file path lengths during temporary file operations.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2025-7039 identifies a vulnerability in the glib component of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, where an integer overflow occurs during the creation of temporary files. This overflow results in out-of-bounds memory access, which can be exploited by a local attacker to perform path traversal attacks or access private temporary file contents. The vulnerability arises due to insufficient validation of file path lengths during temporary file operations, allowing attackers to create symbolic links that redirect file operations outside the intended restricted directories. The flaw does not require user interaction but does require local access with a high attack complexity, meaning exploitation is non-trivial. The vulnerability does not directly compromise confidentiality or availability but can lead to limited unauthorized information disclosure by reading private temporary files. No known public exploits currently exist, and the CVSS v3.1 base score is 3.7, reflecting low severity. The issue underscores the importance of robust input validation and secure handling of temporary files in system libraries. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 users should monitor for patches and updates addressing this flaw to prevent potential exploitation.
Potential Impact
The primary impact of CVE-2025-7039 is limited unauthorized access to private temporary file contents on affected Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 systems. Since exploitation requires local access and has high complexity, the risk of widespread compromise is low. However, in multi-user environments or systems with sensitive temporary data, this vulnerability could allow attackers to bypass pathname restrictions and access data they should not see, potentially leading to information leakage. The flaw does not affect system availability or integrity directly but could be leveraged as part of a larger attack chain. Organizations relying on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 in critical infrastructure, shared hosting, or development environments may face increased risk if local user controls are weak. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate threat but does not eliminate the need for remediation. Overall, the impact is low but non-negligible in environments where local user privilege separation is critical.
Mitigation Recommendations
To mitigate CVE-2025-7039, organizations should: 1) Apply official patches from Red Hat as soon as they become available to address the integer overflow and path validation issues in glib. 2) Restrict local user permissions to minimize the number of users who can create or manipulate temporary files, especially in shared or multi-user systems. 3) Implement strict filesystem permissions and use secure temporary directories (e.g., with the sticky bit set) to prevent unauthorized symbolic link creation. 4) Monitor system logs for unusual file access patterns or symbolic link creations in temporary directories. 5) Employ security mechanisms such as SELinux or AppArmor to enforce access controls on temporary file operations. 6) Educate system administrators about the risks of local privilege escalation and path traversal vulnerabilities to ensure prompt response. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on controlling local user capabilities and monitoring temporary file usage patterns.
Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.1
- Assigner Short Name
- redhat
- Date Reserved
- 2025-07-02T21:35:15.292Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 68b7a54cad5a09ad00eb4451
Added to database: 9/3/2025, 2:17:48 AM
Last enriched: 2/26/2026, 4:00:42 PM
Last updated: 3/24/2026, 11:58:20 PM
Views: 121
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