CVE-2018-25154
Published: 24 December 2025
Summary
CVE-2018-25154 is a high-severity Out-of-bounds Write (CWE-787) vulnerability in Fsf (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 8.5 (High).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked at the 24.7th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog; a public proof-of-concept is referenced.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SI-10 (Information Input Validation) and SI-16 (Memory Protection).
Deeper analysis
CVE-2018-25154 is a buffer overflow vulnerability (CWE-787) affecting GNU Barcode version 0.99, specifically in its code 93 encoding process. The flaw arises from boundary errors during input file processing, enabling attackers to trigger memory corruption. It carries a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating critical severity due to its potential for high-impact effects.
Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability over the network with low attack complexity, requiring no privileges, authentication, or user interaction. Successful exploitation allows arbitrary code execution on the affected system, compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
References include the GNU Barcode project page (https://www.gnu.org/software/barcode/), the Free Software Foundation directory entry (https://directory.fsf.org/wiki/Barcode), and an Exploit-DB entry (https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44797), which documents the vulnerability. No specific mitigation or patch details are provided in the available information.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-205332
Vulnerability details
GNU Barcode 0.99 contains a buffer overflow vulnerability in its code 93 encoding process that allows attackers to trigger memory corruption. Attackers can exploit boundary errors during input file processing to potentially execute arbitrary code on the affected system.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Buffer overflow enables remote unauthenticated arbitrary code execution (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N), directly facilitating T1190: Exploit Public-Facing Application.
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Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
Requires timely identification, reporting, and patching of flaws like the buffer overflow in GNU Barcode's code 93 encoding process to eliminate the vulnerability.
Implements memory protection mechanisms such as ASLR, DEP, and stack canaries to prevent exploitation of memory corruption from buffer overflows during input file processing.
Enforces validation of information inputs to the code 93 encoding process, preventing boundary errors and malformed inputs that trigger the buffer overflow.