CVE-2025-7458: SQLite Integer Overflow DOS Vulnerability

CVE-2025-7458 Overview

An integer overflow vulnerability exists in the sqlite3KeyInfoFromExprList function in SQLite versions 3.39.2 through 3.41.1. This vulnerability allows an attacker with the ability to execute arbitrary SQL statements to cause a denial of service or disclose sensitive information from process memory via a crafted SELECT statement with a large number of expressions in the ORDER BY clause.

Critical Impact

This integer overflow vulnerability can lead to denial of service conditions and potential information disclosure from process memory, affecting applications that rely on SQLite for data storage.

Affected Products

• SQLite versions 3.39.2 through 3.41.1
• Applications and systems embedding vulnerable SQLite versions
• Database-backed applications using affected SQLite libraries

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-07-29 - CVE-2025-7458 published to NVD
• 2025-08-11 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-7458

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-190 (Integer Overflow or Wraparound). The flaw resides in the sqlite3KeyInfoFromExprList function, which processes expressions from SQL ORDER BY clauses. When a SELECT statement contains an exceptionally large number of expressions in the ORDER BY clause, the function fails to properly validate the count, leading to an integer overflow condition.

The attack requires local access and the ability to execute SQL statements against a vulnerable SQLite instance. Successful exploitation can result in memory disclosure from the affected process or trigger a denial of service condition. The local attack vector means an attacker would need some level of access to execute SQL queries against the database.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper integer handling in the sqlite3KeyInfoFromExprList function. When processing ORDER BY clause expressions, the function performs arithmetic operations on the expression count without adequate bounds checking. When the number of expressions exceeds expected limits, the resulting integer overflow causes the function to allocate an incorrectly sized memory buffer, leading to out-of-bounds memory access.

Attack Vector

The attack is executed locally by crafting a malicious SELECT statement with an abnormally large number of expressions in the ORDER BY clause. An attacker who can submit SQL queries to a vulnerable SQLite database can exploit this flaw to:

1. Read sensitive data from process memory through out-of-bounds read operations
2. Cause application crashes resulting in denial of service
3. Potentially manipulate application behavior through memory corruption

The vulnerability mechanism involves submitting a SELECT query with a crafted ORDER BY clause containing an excessive number of expressions. When sqlite3KeyInfoFromExprList processes these expressions, the integer overflow occurs during buffer size calculation, causing subsequent memory access violations. See the SQLite Forum Discussion for additional technical details.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-7458

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual application crashes or instability in SQLite-dependent services
• Abnormally long or complex SQL queries in database logs containing excessive ORDER BY expressions
• Memory access violations or segmentation faults in processes using SQLite
• Unexpected memory consumption patterns in SQLite-linked applications

Detection Strategies

• Monitor for SQL queries with unusually large ORDER BY clauses exceeding normal application patterns
• Implement query analysis to flag SELECT statements with excessive expression counts
• Deploy application crash monitoring for SQLite-dependent services
• Utilize memory protection mechanisms to detect out-of-bounds access attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed SQL query logging to capture potentially malicious statements
• Implement runtime application self-protection (RASP) to monitor SQLite function calls
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions to identify unusual memory access patterns
• Monitor system logs for repeated crashes in applications using SQLite

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-7458

Immediate Actions Required

• Identify all systems and applications running SQLite versions 3.39.2 through 3.41.1
• Prioritize patching for internet-facing or multi-user applications with SQLite backends
• Review and restrict SQL query execution privileges where possible
• Implement input validation to limit ORDER BY clause complexity at the application layer

Patch Information

SQLite has released a fix for this vulnerability. Organizations should upgrade to a patched version of SQLite beyond 3.41.1. The fix details can be found at the SQLite Source Code Info. When updating, ensure all applications statically linking SQLite are recompiled with the patched version.

Workarounds

• Implement application-level query validation to reject SELECT statements with excessive ORDER BY expressions
• Restrict SQL execution privileges to trusted users and applications only
• Deploy web application firewalls or database firewalls to filter potentially malicious queries
• Consider sandboxing or isolating SQLite-dependent processes to limit impact of exploitation

If immediate patching is not possible, restricting SQL query execution capabilities and implementing robust input validation can reduce risk. Query limits can be enforced at the application layer to prevent excessively complex ORDER BY clauses from reaching the vulnerable function.