CVE-2025-7848 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability identified in NI LabVIEW, specifically within the lvpict.cpp component. The root cause of this vulnerability is improper validation of specified index, position, or offset in input data, classified under CWE-1285. This flaw allows an attacker to craft a malicious VI (Virtual Instrument) file that, when opened by a user in LabVIEW versions 2025 Q1 and earlier (including versions 0, 23.0.0, 24.0.0, and 25.0.0), can trigger memory corruption leading to arbitrary code execution. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 reflects the significant risk posed by this vulnerability, with an attack vector requiring local access (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but user interaction is necessary (UI:R). The impact scope is unchanged (S:U), and the vulnerability affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a high level (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the potential for exploitation exists once a user opens a specially crafted VI file, which could be delivered via phishing or social engineering. The vulnerability is critical for environments where LabVIEW is used for industrial automation, test, measurement, and control systems, as arbitrary code execution could lead to system compromise or disruption of critical processes.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-7848 is substantial, especially those in sectors relying heavily on NI LabVIEW for engineering, manufacturing, and industrial automation. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized control over systems, data breaches, manipulation of measurement or control data, and potential disruption of critical infrastructure. This is particularly concerning for industries such as automotive, aerospace, energy, and manufacturing, which are prevalent in Europe and often use LabVIEW for system design and testing. The vulnerability could also facilitate lateral movement within networks if attackers gain initial foothold through compromised LabVIEW workstations. Given the high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, organizations could face operational downtime, intellectual property theft, and safety risks. Additionally, regulatory compliance frameworks in Europe, such as GDPR and NIS Directive, may impose penalties if such vulnerabilities lead to data breaches or service disruptions.

To mitigate CVE-2025-7848, European organizations should: 1) Immediately apply any patches or updates released by NI for LabVIEW; if patches are not yet available, restrict usage of LabVIEW to trusted users and environments. 2) Implement strict controls on the opening of VI files, including disabling automatic opening of untrusted VI files and enforcing digital signature verification for all VI files. 3) Educate users on the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious VI files, emphasizing phishing awareness and social engineering defenses. 4) Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions that can detect and block exploitation attempts or anomalous behavior related to LabVIEW processes. 5) Monitor network and host logs for unusual activity associated with LabVIEW usage, including unexpected process launches or memory access violations. 6) Segment networks to limit the impact of a compromised LabVIEW workstation, isolating critical control systems from general IT networks. 7) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on LabVIEW environments to identify and remediate potential attack vectors.