CVE-2025-15271
Description
A flaw was found in FontForge. This vulnerability allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on affected installations. Exploitation requires user interaction, such as opening a malicious SFD (Spline Font Database) file. The issue arises from improper validation of user-supplied data during SFD file parsing, which can lead to a write past the end of an allocated memory array, enabling arbitrary code execution in the context of the current user.
Statement
This vulnerability is rated Important for Red Hat products as it allows for remote code execution in FontForge. Exploitation requires user interaction, specifically opening a specially crafted SFD file. This affects FontForge as shipped in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 ELS, 7 ELS, 8, 9, 10, Fedora, and Red Hat In-Vehicle OS.
Mitigation
To mitigate this issue, users should exercise caution when handling SFD (Spline Font Database) files from untrusted sources. Avoid opening SFD files from unknown or suspicious origins. If FontForge is not actively used, consider removing the `fontforge` package to eliminate the attack surface. This can be done using `sudo dnf remove fontforge` on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8, 9, 10, and Fedora, or `sudo yum remove fontforge` on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 ELS and 7 ELS. Removing this package will remove FontForge functionality.
Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details
Info alert:Important note
CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).
The following CVSS metrics and score provided are preliminary and subject to review.
CVSS v3 Score Breakdown
| Red Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 8.8 | N/A | 8.8 |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | Network |
| Attack Complexity | Low | N/A | Low |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | None |
| User Interaction | Required | N/A | Required |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | Unchanged |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | High |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | High |
| Availability Impact | High | N/A | High |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
cve.org: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Integrity,Availability
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart
Use of an index that is outside the bounds of an array will very likely result in the corruption of relevant memory and perhaps instructions, leading to a crash, if the values are outside of the valid memory area.
Integrity
Technical Impact: Modify Memory
If the memory corrupted is data, rather than instructions, the system will continue to function with improper values.
Confidentiality,Integrity
Technical Impact: Modify Memory; Read Memory
Use of an index that is outside the bounds of an array can also trigger out-of-bounds read or write operations, or operations on the wrong objects; i.e., "buffer overflows" are not always the result. This may result in the exposure or modification of sensitive data.
Integrity,Confidentiality,Availability
Technical Impact: Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands
If the memory accessible by the attacker can be effectively controlled, it may be possible to execute arbitrary code, as with a standard buffer overflow and possibly without the use of large inputs if a precise index can be controlled.
Integrity,Availability,Confidentiality
Technical Impact: DoS: Crash, Exit, or Restart; Execute Unauthorized Code or Commands; Read Memory; Modify Memory
A single fault could allow either an overflow (CWE-788) or underflow (CWE-786) of the array index. What happens next will depend on the type of operation being performed out of bounds, but can expose sensitive information, cause a system crash, or possibly lead to arbitrary code execution.
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