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CVE Record

CVE-2025-61662: Grub2: missing unregister call for gettext command may lead to use-after-free

A Use-After-Free vulnerability has been discovered in GRUB's gettext module. This flaw stems from a programming error where the gettext command remains registered in memory after its module is unloaded. An attacker can exploit this condition by invoking the orphaned command, causing the application to access a memory location that is no longer valid. An attacker could exploit this vulnerability to cause grub to crash, leading to a Denial of Service. Possible data integrity or confidentiality compromise is not discarded.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a local GRUB2 bootloader flaw. A gettext command can remain callable after its module is unloaded, causing use of freed memory. The confirmed impact is a bootloader crash and denial of service; the source does not rule out data exposure or tampering.

Executive priority

Treat as high priority for Linux infrastructure hygiene, especially critical servers and OpenShift clusters. It is not described as remotely exploitable or actively exploited, but bootloader denial of service can create recovery and availability risk.

Technical view

CVE-2025-61662 is CWE-416 in GRUB2 gettext module lifecycle handling. The command is not unregistered on unload, leaving an orphaned callable command pointer. CVSS 3.1 is 7.8, local attack vector, low complexity, low privileges, no user interaction, with high CIA impacts assigned.

Likely exposure

Exposure is concentrated on affected Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 ELS, 8, 9, 10 streams and OpenShift RHCOS 4.12 and 4.13 nodes carrying listed grub2 or rhcos package versions.

Exploitation context

The source bundle marks KEV as false and provides no evidence of active exploitation. Exploitation is local, not remote internet-facing. Confirmed consequence is denial of service through GRUB crash; broader confidentiality or integrity impact is possible but not proven in the bundle.

Researcher notes

The interesting control point is module unload cleanup. Review whether gettext command registration state can persist after unload and whether invocation reaches freed memory. The provided evidence supports local DoS and leaves CIA escalation unresolved.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply the relevant Red Hat security errata for each affected RHEL or OpenShift stream.
  • Prioritize boot-critical servers, virtualization hosts, and OpenShift worker and control-plane nodes.
  • Check vendor guidance before applying workarounds not named in the advisories.
  • Schedule reboot or bootloader update procedures according to Red Hat guidance.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory grub2 and rhcos versions across RHEL and OpenShift assets.
  • Map assets to the affected product streams and package versions in the CVE record.
  • Confirm applicable RHSA advisories are installed for each supported lifecycle stream.
  • Verify no unsupported or ELS systems are omitted from patch reporting.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
12

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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 · low confidence lookup

CWE-416: 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.

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description · low confidence lookup

Container 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.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2025-61662 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
5Timeline events
2ADP providers
25Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: partial

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We 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.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9redhat

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2025-61662Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. Source timelineredhat

    Reported to Red Hat.

  3. Source timelineredhat

    Made public.

  4. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  5. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
GNUgrub2grub2, 0unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10grub2, 1:2.12-29.el10_1.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update Supportgrub2, 1:2.12-15.el10_0.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Supportgrub2, 1:2.02-0.87.el7_9.16affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8grub2, 1:2.02-170.el8_10.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Advanced Update Supportgrub2, 1:2.02-87.el8_2.14affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Supportgrub2, 1:2.02-99.el8_4.13affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Extended Update Support Long-Life Add-Ongrub2, 1:2.02-99.el8_4.13affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Supportgrub2, 1:2.02-123.el8_6.19affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Telecommunications Update Servicegrub2, 1:2.02-123.el8_6.19affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Update Services for SAP Solutionsgrub2, 1:2.02-123.el8_6.19affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Telecommunications Update Servicegrub2, 1:2.02-152.el8_8.3affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP Solutionsgrub2, 1:2.02-152.el8_8.3affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9grub2, 1:2.06-114.el9_7.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Update Services for SAP Solutionsgrub2, 1:2.06-27.el9_0.23affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Update Services for SAP Solutionsgrub2, 1:2.06-61.el9_2.11affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Extended Update Supportgrub2, 1:2.06-86.el9_4.4affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.6 Extended Update Supportgrub2, 1:2.06-105.el9_6.1affected
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.12rhcos, 412.86.202604010116-0affected
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.13rhcos, 413.92.202604080111-0affected
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.14rhcos, 414.92.202605060243-0affected
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.15rhcos, 415.92.202605060220-0affected
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.16rhcos, 416.94.202604211449-0affected
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.17rhcos, 417.94.202605112123-0affected
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.18rhcos, 418.94.202603181125-0affected
Red HatRed Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.19rhcos, 4.19.9.6.202604080618-0affected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-416

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.

CWE-416 · source CWE mapping

Use After Free

Use After Free represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.

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