CVE-2025-7994 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt version 12 SP1. It arises from an out-of-bounds read condition during the parsing of AR files, a proprietary file format used by the software. The root cause is insufficient validation of user-supplied data within the AR file parser, which allows an attacker to read memory beyond the allocated buffer. This memory corruption can be leveraged to execute arbitrary code remotely in the context of the current process. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as opening a maliciously crafted AR file or visiting a malicious webpage that triggers the vulnerability. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read) and was assigned by the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) as ZDI-CAN-25976. The CVSS v3.0 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with low attack complexity and no privileges required, but user interaction is necessary. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability enables remote code execution, which could allow attackers to fully compromise affected systems running Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt 12 SP1 if exploited successfully.

For European organizations using Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt 12 SP1, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. The ability to execute arbitrary code remotely can lead to full system compromise, data theft, or disruption of critical design and CAD workflows. Organizations in sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, architecture, and product design that rely on Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt for CAD operations are particularly vulnerable. The requirement for user interaction means phishing or social engineering campaigns could be used to deliver malicious AR files or lure users to malicious websites. Successful exploitation could result in intellectual property theft, operational downtime, and potential lateral movement within corporate networks. Given the high confidentiality and integrity impact, sensitive design data could be exposed or altered, affecting product quality and competitive advantage. The lack of available patches increases exposure time, emphasizing the need for proactive mitigation.

European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Immediately audit and inventory all Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt installations to identify affected versions (12 SP1). 2) Restrict or disable the opening of AR files from untrusted or external sources, especially those received via email or downloaded from the internet. 3) Implement application whitelisting and sandboxing for Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt to contain potential exploitation. 4) Educate users on the risks of opening unsolicited or suspicious files and visiting untrusted websites. 5) Monitor network and endpoint logs for unusual behavior associated with Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt processes. 6) Coordinate with Ashlar-Vellum for timely patch deployment once available and test patches in controlled environments before widespread rollout. 7) Employ network-level protections such as web filtering and email security gateways to block malicious payloads. 8) Consider deploying endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting exploitation attempts related to out-of-bounds reads and remote code execution. These targeted steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific attack vector (AR file parsing) and the operational context of Ashlar-Vellum Cobalt users.