# CVE-2025-5898: GNU PSPP pspp-convert.c parse_variables_option out-of-bounds write

> A local attacker can exploit an out-of-bounds write in GNU PSPP to potentially execute arbitrary code or escalate privileges.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.8 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:L/VI:L/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Jun 2025
- **Updated:** 10 Jun 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2025-5898, GHSA-hjfc-fv59-fjj6, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-5898

## What is CVE-2025-5898?

CVE-2025-5898 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in GNU PSPP, published on 9 Jun 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in GNU PSPP 82fb509fb2fedd33e7ac0c46ca99e108bb3bdffb. Affected is the function parse_variables_option of the file utilities/pspp-convert.c. The manipulation leads to out-of-bounds write. The attack needs to be approached locally. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-5898?


## How do I fix CVE-2025-5898?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-5898 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-5898 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-5898 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-5898 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-5898 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in GNU PSPP, published on 9 Jun 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-2025-5898 exists.

Affected product: GNU PSPP. 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-2025-5898/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-5898/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-5898
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-5898
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-5898

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-5898/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.