Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2025-0689 is a GRUB2 UDF filesystem parsing flaw. A crafted disk image could corrupt bootloader memory and may allow code execution before the operating system starts, potentially undermining Secure Boot. The provided Red Hat product entries are marked unaffected, so exposure depends on other GRUB2 builds and vendor guidance.
Executive priority
Treat as high priority for platforms using GRUB2 outside the Red Hat unaffected set. The risk is not broad remote compromise, but boot-chain compromise can have severe confidentiality, integrity, and recovery consequences.
Technical view
The GRUB2 UDF module allocates buffers using user-controlled filesystem length metadata, then may read disk sectors larger than the allocated buffer in grub_udf_read_block(). This creates a heap-based buffer overflow classified as CWE-120, with CVSS 3.1 score 7.8 and local, user-interaction-required attack conditions.
Likely exposure
Most likely exposure is systems using affected GRUB2 builds that can be made to parse untrusted UDF filesystem media or images during boot. The supplied Red Hat records list RHEL 7, 8, 9, 10 and OpenShift Container Platform 4 as unaffected.
Exploitation context
The bundle does not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation evidence. The scenario is local and requires user interaction, but no privileges. Impact is serious because successful exploitation could occur in the bootloader context before OS controls are active.
Researcher notes
Key evidence is a heap overflow in GRUB2 UDF parsing caused by trusting filesystem length metadata during disk-sector iteration. Sources describe possible arbitrary code execution and Secure Boot bypass risk, but the bundle does not provide exploit availability, patch details, or affected non-Red Hat versions.
Mitigation direction
- Check each OS vendor’s CVE-2025-0689 guidance for GRUB2 status and fixes.
- Prioritize bootloader updates where vendors identify affected GRUB2 packages.
- Restrict booting from untrusted removable media or external disk images.
- Review Secure Boot and boot-order controls on sensitive endpoints and servers.
- Track Red Hat, GNU GRUB, and distribution advisories for updated remediation details.
Validation and detection
- Inventory systems and images using GRUB2 with UDF filesystem support.
- Confirm vendor status for each distribution, not just upstream GRUB2 presence.
- Verify whether endpoints permit booting from removable or untrusted media.
- Check whether managed images include vendor-fixed or vendor-unaffected GRUB2 builds.
- Record Red Hat unaffected status separately from other Linux distributions.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CWE-120: Exact CWE lookup
Use the exact CWE identifier as the starting point before reviewing related ATT&CK behavior. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupExecution behavior lookup
The CVE wording references code or command execution, so execution technique review may help defensive triage. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupContainer behavior lookup
The affected technology mentions containers, so container-specific ATT&CK technique review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2025-0689 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9redhatVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- Source timelineredhat
Reported to Red Hat.
- Source timelineredhat
Made public.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-0689CVE reference, redhat · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
- RHBZ#2346122CVE reference, redhat · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
- https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/grub-devel/2025-02/msg00024.htmlCVE reference, redhat
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow') represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.