Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

CVE-2025-65085: Heap Overflow in Ashlar-Vellum Products Poses Code Execution Risk

Overview

CVE-2025-65085 describes a heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability found in several Ashlar-Vellum products, including Cobalt, Xenon, Argon, Lithium, and Cobalt Share. The vulnerability affects versions 12.6.1204.207 and prior. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to potentially disclose sensitive information or execute arbitrary code on the affected system.

Technical Details

The root cause of CVE-2025-65085 is a heap-based buffer overflow. This occurs when a program attempts to write data beyond the allocated boundaries of a heap-allocated buffer. By carefully crafting input, an attacker can overwrite adjacent memory locations on the heap. This could lead to:

  • Information Disclosure: Overwriting heap metadata or adjacent data structures can expose sensitive information stored in memory.
  • Arbitrary Code Execution: By overwriting function pointers or other critical data, an attacker can redirect program execution to attacker-controlled code.

The specific input vectors that trigger the buffer overflow are not publicly detailed, but analyzing the affected software with reverse engineering tools can reveal the vulnerable code paths.

CVSS Analysis

The CVSS score for CVE-2025-65085 is currently listed as N/A. This may be because the score is still under review, or detailed information necessary for CVSS scoring is not yet available. Once a CVSS score is published, this section will be updated with the base score, vector string, and associated impact metrics.

Important Note: Even without a CVSS score, the potential for arbitrary code execution makes this vulnerability a serious security concern. It’s crucial to apply mitigations as soon as possible.

Possible Impact

The exploitation of CVE-2025-65085 could have significant consequences, including:

  • Data Breach: Sensitive data stored or processed by the affected software could be compromised.
  • System Compromise: Successful code execution could allow an attacker to gain complete control of the affected system.
  • Denial of Service: The vulnerability could be exploited to crash the software or the entire system, leading to downtime and disruption of services.
  • Lateral Movement: If the affected system is part of a larger network, an attacker could use the compromised system as a springboard to attack other systems on the network.

Mitigation and Patch Steps

The primary mitigation for CVE-2025-65085 is to update to a patched version of the affected Ashlar-Vellum products. Contact Ashlar-Vellum support for information on availability of patched versions and the update process.

Until a patch is available, consider the following interim mitigations:

  • Input Validation: Implement strict input validation on any data processed by the affected software. This can help prevent malicious input from triggering the buffer overflow.
  • Network Segmentation: Isolate systems running the affected software on a separate network segment to limit the potential impact of a successful exploit.
  • Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS): Deploy IDS/IPS solutions to detect and block exploitation attempts. Signatures specific to CVE-2025-65085 may become available as more information is released.
  • Monitor System Activity: Closely monitor systems running the affected software for any suspicious activity, such as unexpected crashes, high CPU usage, or unusual network traffic.

References

Cybersecurity specialist and founder of Gowri Shankar Infosec - a professional blog dedicated to sharing actionable insights on cybersecurity, data protection, server administration, and compliance frameworks including SOC 2, PCI DSS, and GDPR.

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