CVE-2025-7424 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the libxslt library used within Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10. The vulnerability arises from a type confusion issue involving the 'psvi' memory field, which is used interchangeably for both stylesheet and input data during XML transformations. This improper handling can cause the application to misinterpret data types, leading to memory corruption or application crashes. Specifically, the flaw allows an attacker to induce unexpected behavior or denial of service by exploiting the type confusion to corrupt memory structures. The vulnerability does not require user interaction or privileges but does require local access (AV:L) and has a high attack complexity (AC:H), indicating that exploitation is possible but may require specific conditions or expertise. The scope is classified as changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, and it impacts integrity and availability (I:H, A:H) without compromising confidentiality. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or mitigations are linked yet, but given the nature of the vulnerability, it is critical for organizations using Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 to address this promptly once updates are available.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially those relying on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 for critical infrastructure, servers, or applications that perform XML transformations using libxslt. Successful exploitation could lead to denial of service conditions, potentially disrupting business operations, service availability, and system integrity. This is particularly impactful for sectors such as finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and government services, where system reliability and data integrity are paramount. Since the vulnerability can be exploited locally without authentication, insider threats or attackers with limited access could leverage this flaw to escalate disruptions. The absence of confidentiality impact reduces the risk of data leakage, but the integrity and availability impacts remain severe, potentially causing operational outages or system instability.

Organizations should prioritize monitoring for updates and patches from Red Hat addressing CVE-2025-7424 and apply them promptly once released. Until patches are available, restricting local access to systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 is critical to limit potential exploitation vectors. Employing strict access controls, including limiting user permissions and using mandatory access control frameworks like SELinux, can reduce the risk of exploitation. Additionally, auditing and monitoring XML processing activities and application logs for abnormal crashes or memory errors can help detect potential exploitation attempts early. Where feasible, consider isolating or sandboxing applications that perform XML transformations to contain any impact from exploitation. Finally, organizations should review and harden their system configurations to minimize attack surfaces and ensure that only trusted users have local access to vulnerable systems.