Libxslt Type Confusion Vulnerability (CVE-2025-7424): Risks of XML Transformation Gone Wrong
Introduction
XML transformations are fundamental to many applications, but a subtle yet dangerous flaw in libxslt could turn routine processing into a security nightmare. CVE-2025-7424, a type confusion vulnerability, threatens stability and security by misusing a critical memory field, potentially leading to crashes, memory corruption, or even arbitrary code execution.
Technical Information
The vulnerability centers around the misuse of the psvi field within libxslt's XML node structure. Typically, this field is reserved for metadata about nodes during stylesheet processing. However, libxslt incorrectly uses the same psvi field for both stylesheet and input data nodes. This improper handling can cause type confusion during XML transformations, leading the library to misinterpret node types and resulting in memory corruption or application crashes.
Type confusion vulnerabilities are particularly insidious because they exploit the assumptions software makes about data types. When these assumptions are violated, the software may behave unpredictably, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate memory or execute arbitrary code.
While specific exploitation details for CVE-2025-7424 are not currently available, similar vulnerabilities in libxslt, such as CVE-2025-24855 (a use-after-free issue), highlight the potential severity and exploitation vectors associated with memory management flaws in this library.
Affected Systems and Versions
Specific affected versions and configurations for CVE-2025-7424 were not detailed in the provided sources. Users of libxslt should closely monitor vendor advisories for updates and patches addressing this vulnerability.
Vendor Security History
The GNOME project, responsible for libxslt, has a solid track record of promptly addressing vulnerabilities. Recent issues like CVE-2025-24855 and CVE-2024-55549 were quickly patched, underscoring GNOME's commitment to security. However, specific information regarding the vendor's response to CVE-2025-7424 was not available.
References
Security teams should remain vigilant, monitor official channels for updates, and apply recommended mitigations promptly to protect against potential exploitation of this vulnerability.
Source: This report was created using AI
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