CVE-2025-8477 is a high-severity stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability affecting the Alpine iLX-507, a popular in-car multimedia receiver system. The flaw resides in the device's vCard parsing functionality, specifically when processing vCard data received over Bluetooth connections. The vulnerability arises due to improper validation of user-supplied vCard data before copying it into a fixed-length buffer on the stack. This lack of bounds checking allows a network-adjacent attacker to craft malicious vCard data that overflows the buffer, potentially overwriting the stack and enabling arbitrary code execution. Exploitation requires user interaction in the form of the target device connecting to a malicious Bluetooth device broadcasting the crafted vCard data. Successful exploitation grants the attacker root-level privileges on the device, enabling full control over the system. The vulnerability is identified as CWE-121 (stack-based buffer overflow) and carries a CVSS 3.0 score of 7.4, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No known exploits have been reported in the wild yet, and no patches have been published at the time of disclosure. The vulnerability was assigned by the Zero Day Initiative (ZDI) under the identifier ZDI-CAN-26324.

For European organizations, particularly those in automotive, transportation, logistics, and fleet management sectors, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. The Alpine iLX-507 is widely used in vehicles for navigation, communication, and entertainment, making it a critical component in connected car ecosystems. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized control over vehicle infotainment systems, potentially enabling attackers to disrupt navigation, communication, or even escalate attacks to other vehicle systems if interconnected. This could result in data breaches, operational disruptions, and safety risks. Additionally, organizations relying on these devices for customer-facing services or fleet operations may suffer reputational damage and financial losses. The requirement for user interaction (connecting to a malicious Bluetooth device) somewhat limits the attack vector but does not eliminate risk, especially in public or high-traffic areas where attackers could deploy rogue Bluetooth devices. The root-level code execution capability amplifies the severity, as attackers can persistently compromise devices and evade detection.

1. Immediate mitigation should include disabling Bluetooth connectivity on Alpine iLX-507 devices where feasible, especially in sensitive or high-risk environments, to prevent unsolicited connections. 2. Organizations should monitor for suspicious Bluetooth devices in proximity to vehicles and implement Bluetooth device whitelisting or authentication mechanisms if supported. 3. Users should be educated to avoid pairing or connecting to unknown or untrusted Bluetooth devices. 4. Alpine should be engaged to prioritize development and deployment of a security patch addressing the buffer overflow by implementing proper input validation and bounds checking during vCard parsing. 5. Until patches are available, network segmentation and strict access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of affected devices. 6. Incident response plans should be updated to include detection and remediation steps for potential exploitation attempts, including monitoring for anomalous device behavior or unauthorized root-level access. 7. Regular firmware audits and updates should be scheduled once patches are released to ensure devices remain secure.