CVE-2025-7425 is a use-after-free vulnerability identified in the libxslt library, specifically affecting Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Support (ELS). The flaw arises from improper modification of internal attributes—namely the attribute type (atype) and flags—within libxslt's processing of XSLT functions such as key(). When these functions generate tree fragments, the corruption of internal memory management prevents proper cleanup of ID attributes. This leads to the system accessing memory that has already been freed, resulting in potential heap corruption or system crashes. The vulnerability is significant because use-after-free bugs can be exploited to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or cause denial of service. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, indicating a high severity level. The vector string (AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:H/A:H) shows that the attack vector is local, requires high attack complexity, no privileges, and no user interaction, with a scope change and high impact on integrity and availability but no confidentiality impact. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or mitigations are explicitly linked in the provided data. The vulnerability affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 ELS, a widely used enterprise Linux distribution, especially in environments requiring extended support beyond the standard lifecycle. Given the nature of the flaw, attackers with local access could trigger heap corruption or crashes, potentially leading to system compromise or denial of service.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-7425 could be substantial, particularly for those relying on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 ELS in critical infrastructure, government, finance, telecommunications, and industrial control systems. The vulnerability allows local attackers to cause heap corruption or crashes, which could be leveraged to escalate privileges or disrupt services. This is especially concerning in environments where Red Hat 7 ELS is used to maintain legacy systems that cannot be easily upgraded. The lack of required privileges and user interaction lowers the barrier for exploitation by insiders or attackers who have gained limited local access through other means. Disruption of availability or integrity in critical systems could lead to operational downtime, data integrity issues, or facilitate further compromise. Given the extended lifecycle support nature of the product, many organizations may have delayed migration plans, increasing exposure time. Additionally, the scope change in the vulnerability indicates that exploitation could affect components beyond the initially vulnerable library, potentially impacting multiple system components or services relying on libxslt.

1. Immediate application of any available patches or updates from Red Hat once released is critical. Organizations should monitor Red Hat advisories closely for updates addressing CVE-2025-7425. 2. Restrict local access to systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 ELS to trusted personnel only, minimizing the risk of local exploitation. 3. Employ strict access controls and monitoring on systems using libxslt, including auditing for unusual process crashes or memory corruption signs. 4. Consider deploying runtime memory protection technologies such as Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR), stack canaries, and heap protection mechanisms to mitigate exploitation impact. 5. For environments where patching is delayed, consider isolating affected systems or running libxslt-dependent services within hardened containers or virtual machines to limit scope of compromise. 6. Conduct thorough vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focusing on local privilege escalation vectors to identify potential exploitation paths. 7. Plan and accelerate migration from Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 ELS to newer supported versions to reduce long-term exposure to legacy vulnerabilities.