CVE-2025-7345 is a high-severity heap buffer overflow vulnerability identified in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, specifically within the gdk-pixbuf library's JPEG image processing functionality. The flaw occurs in the gdk_pixbuf__jpeg_image_load_increment function (located in io-jpeg.c) and the glib library's g_base64_encode_step function (glib/gbase64.c). When processing specially crafted malicious JPEG images, the vulnerability triggers a heap buffer overflow during the Base64 encoding step, leading to out-of-bounds reads from heap memory. This memory corruption can cause application crashes or potentially allow arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is exploitable remotely without authentication or user interaction, as indicated by the CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). The scope is unchanged, meaning the vulnerability affects only the vulnerable component and does not propagate to other components. While no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the nature of the flaw—classic buffer overflow in widely used image processing libraries—makes it a critical concern for systems processing untrusted JPEG images. The vulnerability impacts the integrity and availability of affected applications, with a CVSS score of 7.5 reflecting its high severity. The affected product is Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10, a widely deployed enterprise Linux distribution, often used in critical infrastructure, servers, and cloud environments. The flaw could be leveraged by attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely, potentially leading to full system compromise if exploited successfully.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-7345 could be significant, especially for enterprises relying on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 in their server infrastructure, cloud deployments, or desktop environments that process JPEG images from untrusted sources. The vulnerability could be exploited to cause denial of service through application crashes or to execute arbitrary code, potentially leading to data breaches, disruption of services, or lateral movement within networks. Sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and critical infrastructure in Europe often use Red Hat Enterprise Linux due to its enterprise support and compliance features, making them prime targets. The ability to exploit this vulnerability remotely without authentication increases the attack surface, particularly for internet-facing services that handle image uploads or processing. Additionally, the flaw could be used as an initial foothold in targeted attacks or ransomware campaigns, amplifying its impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive data and systems.

To mitigate CVE-2025-7345 effectively, European organizations should: 1) Apply official patches from Red Hat as soon as they become available to remediate the vulnerability in gdk-pixbuf and glib libraries. 2) Implement strict input validation and sanitization for all JPEG images processed by applications, especially those exposed to external or untrusted sources. 3) Employ application-level sandboxing or containerization to isolate image processing components, limiting the impact of potential exploitation. 4) Monitor network traffic and logs for anomalous activities related to JPEG image uploads or processing failures that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5) Restrict or disable unnecessary image processing services or features in environments where they are not required. 6) Conduct regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focusing on image processing functionalities. 7) Educate development and operations teams about secure handling of media files and the risks of buffer overflow vulnerabilities. These steps go beyond generic advice by emphasizing proactive patch management, input validation, isolation, and monitoring tailored to the specific nature of this vulnerability.