CVE-2025-48751 in ProcessLock Crate
Summary
by MITRE • 05/24/2025
The process_lock crate 0.1.0 for Rust allows data races in unlock.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/31/2026
The CVE-2025-48751 vulnerability resides within the process_lock crate version 0.1.0, a Rust library designed to provide inter-process locking mechanisms. This crate implements synchronization primitives that are critical for ensuring data consistency across multiple processes accessing shared resources. The vulnerability manifests as a data race condition specifically during the unlock operation, which fundamentally compromises the integrity of the locking mechanism. Such flaws in synchronization primitives can lead to unpredictable behavior and security vulnerabilities in applications that depend on proper mutual exclusion.
The technical flaw stems from improper handling of concurrent access during the unlock phase of the locking mechanism. In concurrent programming, data races occur when multiple threads or processes access shared data simultaneously without proper synchronization, leading to unpredictable outcomes. The process_lock crate fails to ensure atomicity when releasing locks, allowing multiple processes to potentially interfere with each other during the unlock sequence. This race condition creates a scenario where the lock state can become corrupted or inconsistent, potentially allowing unauthorized access to protected resources. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects the fundamental operation of the locking mechanism rather than just a peripheral function.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple performance degradation to potentially serious security implications. Applications relying on process_lock for coordinating access to critical resources may experience data corruption, privilege escalation, or unauthorized access to sensitive information. Attackers could exploit this race condition to bypass access controls, manipulate shared data structures, or create denial of service conditions by causing the locking mechanism to fail entirely. The vulnerability affects any Rust application that uses version 0.1.0 of the process_lock crate, particularly those implementing distributed systems or multi-process applications where proper synchronization is essential for system integrity.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-48751 require immediate attention from affected parties. The primary solution involves upgrading to a patched version of the process_lock crate that properly handles concurrent unlock operations. Organizations should conduct thorough code reviews to identify all instances where this crate is used and ensure proper dependency management to prevent reintroduction of vulnerable versions. Additionally, developers should implement proper testing procedures that include concurrent access scenarios to detect similar race conditions in other synchronization primitives. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which describes concurrent execution using shared data structures without proper synchronization, and may relate to ATT&CK technique T1496 for data manipulation through race conditions. System administrators should also monitor for any unusual behavior in applications that depend on inter-process locking mechanisms, as the vulnerability may manifest as intermittent failures or unexpected access patterns.