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CVE-2025-54489

A stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the MFER parsing functionality of The...

9.8 CriticalFix available

A stack-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.This vulnerability manifests on line 8970 of biosig.c on the current master branch (35a819fa), when the Tag is 63:

            else if (tag==63) {
                uint8_t tag2=255, len2=255;

                count = 0;
                while ((count<len) && !(FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0)){
                    curPos += ifread(&tag2,1,1,hdr);
                    curPos += ifread(&len2,1,1,hdr);
                    if (VERBOSE_LEVEL==9)
                        fprintf(stdout,"MFER: tag=%3i chan=%2i len=%-4i tag2=%3i len2=%3i curPos=%i %li count=%4i\n",tag,chan,len,tag2,len2,curPos,iftell(hdr),(int)count);

                    if (FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0) break;

                    count  += (2+len2);
                    curPos += ifread(&buf,1,len2,hdr);

Here, the number of bytes read is not the Data Length decoded from the current frame in the file (len) but rather is a new length contained in a single octet read from the same input file (len2). Despite this, a stack-based buffer overflow condition can still occur, as the destination buffer is still buf, which has a size of only 128 bytes, while len2 can be as large as 255.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

0.71%Up 0.6 points since Aug 26, 2025
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 9.8

A stack-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.This vulnerability manifests on line 8970 of biosig.c on the current master branch (35a819fa), when the Tag is 63:

            else if (tag==63) {
                uint8_t tag2=255, len2=255;

                count = 0;
                while ((count<len) && !(FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0)){
                    curPos += ifread(&tag2,1,1,hdr);
                    curPos += ifread(&len2,1,1,hdr);
                    if (VERBOSE_LEVEL==9)
                        fprintf(stdout,"MFER: tag=%3i chan=%2i len=%-4i tag2=%3i len2=%3i curPos=%i %li count=%4i\n",tag,chan,len,tag2,len2,curPos,iftell(hdr),(int)count);

                    if (FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0) break;

                    count  += (2+len2);
                    curPos += ifread(&buf,1,len2,hdr);

Here, the number of bytes read is not the Data Length decoded from the current frame in the file (len) but rather is a new length contained in a single octet read from the same input file (len2). Despite this, a stack-based buffer overflow condition can still occur, as the destination buffer is still buf, which has a size of only 128 bytes, while len2 can be as large as 255.

Record
CVE-2025-54489
CVSS 3.1
9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-121
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2025-25674 9.8

A stack-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.This vulnerability manifests on line 8970 of biosig.c on the current master branch (35a819fa), when the Tag is 63:

            else if (tag==63) {
                uint8_t tag2=255, len2=255;

                count = 0;
                while ((count<len) && !(FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0)){
                    curPos += ifread(&tag2,1,1,hdr);
                    curPos += ifread(&len2,1,1,hdr);
                    if (VERBOSE_LEVEL==9)
                        fprintf(stdout,"MFER: tag=%3i chan=%2i len=%-4i tag2=%3i len2=%3i curPos=%i %li count=%4i\n",tag,chan,len,tag2,len2,curPos,iftell(hdr),(int)count);

                    if (FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0) break;

                    count  += (2+len2);
                    curPos += ifread(&buf,1,len2,hdr);

Here, the number of bytes read is not the Data Length decoded from the current frame in the file (len) but rather is a new length contained in a single octet read from the same input file (len2). Despite this, a stack-based buffer overflow condition can still occur, as the destination buffer is still buf, which has a size of only 128 bytes, while len2 can be as large as 255.

Record
EUVD-2025-25674
CVSS 3.1
9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-54vg-hcf2-vf9w 9.8

A stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the MFER parsing functionality of The...

A stack-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.This vulnerability manifests on line 8970 of biosig.c on the current master branch (35a819fa), when the Tag is 63:

            else if (tag==63) {
                uint8_t tag2=255, len2=255;

                count = 0;
                while ((count<len) && !(FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0)){
                    curPos += ifread(&tag2,1,1,hdr);
                    curPos += ifread(&len2,1,1,hdr);
                    if (VERBOSE_LEVEL==9)
                        fprintf(stdout,"MFER: tag=%3i chan=%2i len=%-4i tag2=%3i len2=%3i curPos=%i %li count=%4i\n",tag,chan,len,tag2,len2,curPos,iftell(hdr),(int)count);

                    if (FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0) break;

                    count  += (2+len2);
                    curPos += ifread(&buf,1,len2,hdr);

Here, the number of bytes read is not the Data Length decoded from the current frame in the file (len) but rather is a new length contained in a single octet read from the same input file (len2). Despite this, a stack-based buffer overflow condition can still occur, as the destination buffer is still buf, which has a size of only 128 bytes, while len2 can be as large as 255.

Record
GHSA-54vg-hcf2-vf9w
CVSS 3.1
9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-121
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 9.8

A stack-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.This vulnerability manifests on line 8970 of biosig.c on the current master branch (35a819fa), when the Tag is 63:

            else if (tag==63) {
                uint8_t tag2=255, len2=255;

                count = 0;
                while ((count<len) && !(FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0)){
                    curPos += ifread(&tag2,1,1,hdr);
                    curPos += ifread(&len2,1,1,hdr);
                    if (VERBOSE_LEVEL==9)
                        fprintf(stdout,"MFER: tag=%3i chan=%2i len=%-4i tag2=%3i len2=%3i curPos=%i %li count=%4i\n",tag,chan,len,tag2,len2,curPos,iftell(hdr),(int)count);

                    if (FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0) break;

                    count  += (2+len2);
                    curPos += ifread(&buf,1,len2,hdr);

Here, the number of bytes read is not the Data Length decoded from the current frame in the file (len) but rather is a new length contained in a single octet read from the same input file (len2). Despite this, a stack-based buffer overflow condition can still occur, as the destination buffer is still buf, which has a size of only 128 bytes, while len2 can be as large as 255.

Record
CVE-2025-54489
CVSS 3.1
9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-121
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV 9.8

A stack-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.This vulnerability manifests on line 8970 of biosig.c on the current master branch (35a819fa), when the Tag is 63:

            else if (tag==63) {
                uint8_t tag2=255, len2=255;

                count = 0;
                while ((count<len) && !(FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0)){
                    curPos += ifread(&tag2,1,1,hdr);
                    curPos += ifread(&len2,1,1,hdr);
                    if (VERBOSE_LEVEL==9)
                        fprintf(stdout,"MFER: tag=%3i chan=%2i len=%-4i tag2=%3i len2=%3i curPos=%i %li count=%4i\n",tag,chan,len,tag2,len2,curPos,iftell(hdr),(int)count);

                    if (FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0) break;

                    count  += (2+len2);
                    curPos += ifread(&buf,1,len2,hdr);

Here, the number of bytes read is not the Data Length decoded from the current frame in the file (len) but rather is a new length contained in a single octet read from the same input file (len2). Despite this, a stack-based buffer overflow condition can still occur, as the destination buffer is still buf, which has a size of only 128 bytes, while len2 can be as large as 255.

Record
CVE-2025-54489
CVSS 3.1
9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2025-54489 9.8

A stack-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.This vulnerability manifests on line 8970 of biosig.c on the current master branch (35a819fa), when the Tag is 63: else if (tag==63) { uint8_t tag2=255, len2=255; count = 0; while ((count<len) && !(FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0)){ curPos += ifread(&tag2,1,1,hdr); curPos += ifread(&len2,1,1,hdr); if (VERBOSE_LEVEL==9) fprintf(stdout,"MFER: tag=%3i chan=%2i len=%-4i tag2=%3i len2=%3i curPos=%i %li count=%4i\n",tag,chan,len,tag2,len2,curPos,iftell(hdr),(int)count); if (FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0) break; count += (2+len2); curPos += ifread(&buf,1,len2,hdr); Here, the number of bytes read is not the Data Length decoded from the current frame in the file (len) but rather is a new length contained in a single octet read from the same input file (len2). Despite this, a stack-based buffer overflow condition can still occur, as the destination buffer is still buf, which has a size of only 128 bytes, while len2 can be as large as 255.

Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2025-54489
CVSS 3.1
9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2025-54489 9.8

A stack-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.This vulnerability manifests on line 8970 of biosig.c on the current master branch (35a819fa), when the Tag is 63: else if (tag==63) { uint8_t tag2=255, len2=255; count = 0; while ((count<len) && !(FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0)){ curPos += ifread(&tag2,1,1,hdr); curPos += ifread(&len2,1,1,hdr); if (VERBOSE_LEVEL==9) fprintf(stdout,"MFER: tag=%3i chan=%2i len=%-4i tag2=%3i len2=%3i curPos=%i %li count=%4i\n",tag,chan,len,tag2,len2,curPos,iftell(hdr),(int)count); if (FlagInfiniteLength && len2==0 && tag2==0) break; count += (2+len2); curPos += ifread(&buf,1,len2,hdr); Here, the number of bytes read is not the Data Length decoded from the current frame in the file (len) but rather is a new length contained in a single octet read from the same input file (len2). Despite this, a stack-based buffer overflow condition can still occur, as the destination buffer is still buf, which has a size of only 128 bytes, while len2 can be as large as 255.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2025-54489
CVSS 3.1
9.8 CriticalCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
biosig
Debian:12
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.5.0-12.5.2-12.5.2-22.6.0-12.6.1-13.9.0-13.9.5-1
 None known
biosig
Debian:13
 All versions, plus listed versions
3.9.0-13.9.5-1
 None known
biosig
Debian:14
 before 3.9.5-1, plus listed versions
3.9.0-1
3.9.5-1
biosig
Ubuntu:Pro:22.04:LTS
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.1.2-42.1.2-4build12.1.2-4build22.3.3-12.3.3-1build12.3.3-1build22.3.3-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
 None known
biosig
Ubuntu:Pro:24.04:LTS
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.5.0-1build22.5.2-12.5.2-1build12.5.2-22.6.0-12.6.0-1build12.6.0-1ubuntu12.6.0-1ubuntu1+esm1
 None known
biosig
Ubuntu:25.10
 All versions, plus listed versions
2.6.1-1build33.9.0-1
 None known
biosig
Ubuntu:26.10
 All versions, plus listed versions
3.9.0-1build33.9.5-13.9.5-1build1
 None known
biosig
Ubuntu:Pro:26.04:LTS
 All versions, plus listed versions
3.9.0-13.9.0-1build13.9.0-1build23.9.0-1build33.9.0-1ubuntu0.1~esm1
 None known

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2025-54489 is a critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) in Libbiosig Project Libbiosig, published August 25, 2025. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.71%, the 53rd percentile. Fixed in biosig 3.9.5-1.

References

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