# CVE-2025-54409: AIDE null pointer dereference when reading incorrectly encoded xattr attributes from database (local DoS)

> A local attacker can crash AIDE by setting specific extended file attributes, causing a denial of service during report generation or database listing.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 14 Aug 2025
- **Updated:** 4 Nov 2025
- **Also known as:** AZL-66429, AZL-66431, DEBIAN-CVE-2025-54409, GHSA-79g7-f8rv-jcxh, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-54409

## What is CVE-2025-54409?

CVE-2025-54409 is a medium-severity vulnerability in aide, published on 14 Aug 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

AIDE is an advanced intrusion detection environment. From versions 0.13 to 0.19.1, there is a null pointer dereference vulnerability in AIDE. An attacker can crash the program during report printing or database listing after setting extended file attributes with an empty attribute value or with a key containing a comma. A local user might exploit this to cause a local denial of service. This issue has been patched in version 0.19.2. A workaround involves removing xattrs group from rules matching files on affected file systems.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-54409?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Advanced Intrusion Detection Environment Project Advanced Intrusion Detection Environment.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-54409?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2025-54409 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-54409 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in aide

- [CVE-2021-45417](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-45417/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2025-54389](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54389/): AIDE improper output neutralization vulnerability (medium 6.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-54409 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-54409 is a medium-severity vulnerability in aide, published on 14 Aug 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-54409 exists.

Affected product: aide. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54409/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54409/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-54409
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-54409
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-54409

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-54409/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.