CVE-2025-70873: SQLite Information Disclosure Vulnerability

CVE-2025-70873 Overview

An information disclosure vulnerability exists in the zipfileInflate function within the zipfile extension of SQLite v3.51.1 and earlier versions. This vulnerability allows attackers to obtain sensitive heap memory contents by supplying a specially crafted ZIP file to the affected function.

Critical Impact

Attackers can leverage this memory information disclosure vulnerability to leak sensitive heap data, potentially exposing cryptographic keys, passwords, or other confidential information stored in process memory.

Affected Products

• SQLite v3.51.1 and earlier versions
• Applications utilizing the SQLite zipfile extension
• Systems processing untrusted ZIP files through SQLite

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-12 - CVE CVE-2025-70873 published to NVD
• 2026-03-12 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-70873

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability represents a Memory Information Disclosure flaw in SQLite's zipfile extension. The zipfileInflate function, responsible for decompressing ZIP file contents, fails to properly validate or sanitize data during the inflation process. When processing a maliciously crafted ZIP file, the function can be manipulated to return uninitialized or adjacent heap memory contents to the caller, effectively leaking sensitive information from the application's memory space.

The zipfile extension in SQLite provides virtual table functionality for reading and writing ZIP archives. During normal operation, zipfileInflate handles the decompression of compressed entries within ZIP files. However, improper bounds checking or memory handling in this function creates an opportunity for information leakage.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in improper memory handling within the zipfileInflate function. When decompressing ZIP file contents, the function does not adequately validate buffer boundaries or initialize output memory before use. This allows attackers to craft ZIP files with specific compression parameters that cause the function to expose heap memory beyond the intended decompression output buffer.

Attack Vector

The attack requires an attacker to provide a specially crafted ZIP file to an application that processes it using SQLite's zipfile extension. The attack scenario involves:

1. Crafting a malicious ZIP file with specific compression parameters designed to trigger the vulnerability
2. Providing the malicious ZIP file to a target application that uses SQLite's zipfile extension
3. The application processes the ZIP file using the vulnerable zipfileInflate function
4. Heap memory contents are leaked and returned to the attacker through the decompressed data

Technical details and proof-of-concept information are available through the GitHub Gist PoC. Additional discussion of the vulnerability can be found in the SQLite Forum.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-70873

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual ZIP file processing activity with malformed or suspicious archive structures
• Applications using SQLite zipfile extension processing untrusted ZIP files
• Unexpected memory access patterns during ZIP decompression operations
• Presence of crafted ZIP files with anomalous compression parameters

Detection Strategies

• Monitor SQLite-based applications for processing of untrusted ZIP files through the zipfile extension
• Implement file integrity monitoring for ZIP archives processed by critical applications
• Deploy memory protection mechanisms to detect out-of-bounds read operations
• Audit application logs for errors related to ZIP file decompression failures

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for applications utilizing SQLite's zipfile extension
• Implement input validation for all ZIP files before processing with SQLite
• Monitor for suspicious file uploads or transfers containing ZIP archives
• Configure security tooling to alert on potential memory disclosure patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-70873

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade SQLite to a patched version when available from the vendor
• Disable or restrict use of the zipfile extension if not required for application functionality
• Implement strict input validation for all ZIP files processed by SQLite
• Isolate applications using vulnerable SQLite versions from processing untrusted ZIP files
• Review application code to identify all usage of the SQLite zipfile extension

Patch Information

Organizations should monitor the SQLite source repository for patch information and updated releases addressing this vulnerability. Until a patch is available, implement the recommended workarounds to reduce exposure.

Workarounds

• Disable the zipfile extension in SQLite if not essential for application functionality
• Implement application-level validation to reject suspicious or malformed ZIP files before processing
• Use sandboxing or containerization to limit the impact of potential memory disclosure
• Process ZIP files from untrusted sources in isolated environments with limited access to sensitive data
• Consider using alternative ZIP processing libraries that are not affected by this vulnerability

# Configuration example - Compile SQLite without zipfile extension
./configure --disable-zipfile
make
make install

# Or use SQLITE_OMIT_ZIPFILE compile-time option
CFLAGS="-DSQLITE_OMIT_ZIPFILE" ./configure
make