CVE-2025-53511 in libbiosig
Summary
by MITRE • 08/25/2025
A heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the MFER parsing functionality of The Biosig Project libbiosig 3.9.0 and Master Branch (35a819fa). A specially crafted MFER file can lead to arbitrary code execution. An attacker can provide a malicious file to trigger this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/03/2025
The heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-53511 resides within the MFER parsing component of the Biosig Project libbiosig library version 3.9.0 and its master branch revision 35a819fa. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that can be exploited through the manipulation of specially crafted MFER files, which are used for medical file exchange and representation within the biosignal processing domain. The vulnerability manifests during the parsing of structured medical data files that contain biosignal information, making it particularly dangerous in healthcare and research environments where such files are commonly processed.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the MFER file parsing routines. When the library processes a malformed MFER file, the parsing function fails to properly bounds-check buffer allocations, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow condition. This overflow allows an attacker to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow and enabling arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is classified as a heap-based buffer overflow under CWE-122, which specifically addresses insufficient checking of buffer bounds during heap memory allocation operations. The memory corruption occurs in the heap memory space rather than the stack, making it particularly challenging to detect and exploit through traditional stack-based buffer overflow mitigation techniques.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of medical data processing systems. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to systems processing biosignal data, potentially leading to data breaches, system compromise, or disruption of critical healthcare services. The vulnerability affects any system utilizing libbiosig version 3.9.0 or the master branch codebase for processing MFER files, which includes research institutions, medical facilities, and scientific organizations working with biosignal data. Given that MFER files are commonly used in biomedical research and clinical applications, the potential attack surface is substantial and affects both academic and commercial medical software implementations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-53511 should prioritize immediate patching of the libbiosig library to the latest stable release that contains the necessary memory bounds checking and input validation fixes. System administrators should implement strict file validation procedures for all MFER files before processing, including signature verification and content scanning to identify potentially malicious files. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit the potential impact of exploitation, particularly in healthcare environments where medical data privacy is paramount. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1203, which describes exploitation of software vulnerabilities for privilege escalation and code execution, and represents a critical threat to the integrity of medical data processing systems. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime monitoring and anomaly detection systems to identify potential exploitation attempts and maintain comprehensive incident response procedures for handling such security incidents.