Author: Ameeba

Overview

A recently discovered vulnerability, designated as CVE-2025-5689, poses a significant threat to systems using the pre-auth Network Security Services (NSS). This flaw could potentially lead to a full system compromise or data leakage, making it a high-risk issue demanding immediate attention. This vulnerability affects all users logging in for the first time on target systems, inadvertently granting them root group access. This vulnerability matters because it can provide a malicious actor with high-level privileges, leading to unauthorized access, data manipulation, or even system control.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-5689
Severity: Critical (CVSS 8.5)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

Pre-Auth NSS | All Versions

How the Exploit Works

The flaw is rooted in the temporary user record that the authd uses in the pre-auth NSS. When a user logs in for the first time, the system erroneously assigns them to the root group for the duration of that SSH session. A malicious user could exploit this flaw to gain root access to the system, leading to unauthorized actions such as data modification, system control, or data exfiltration.

Conceptual Example Code

Imagine a scenario where an attacker has established an SSH session using a new user account. The vulnerability would allow the attacker to execute commands with root privileges due to the incorrect group assignment. The pseudo-code below demonstrates this:

# The attacker logs in via SSH
ssh newuser@target.example.com
# The system incorrectly assigns the new user to the root group
groups
root
# The attacker now executes a command with root privileges
sudo cat /etc/shadow

In this example, the ‘cat /etc/shadow’ command would typically be inaccessible to a new user. However, due to the CVE-2025-5689 vulnerability, the attacker has root access and can view sensitive system files, leading to a potential system compromise.

Mitigation and Prevention

The recommended course of action to mitigate this vulnerability is to apply the vendor-provided patch as soon as it becomes available. Until then, a temporary mitigation can be implemented by using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to monitor SSH sessions and identify any suspicious activity. Additionally, system administrators should consider limiting the number of new users or restricting their access until the patch is applied.

Overview

The vulnerability in focus, CVE-2025-33108, is a critical security flaw affecting IBM’s Backup, Recovery and Media Services (BRMS) for i 7.4 and 7.5. This vulnerability could potentially allow a user with the capability to compile or restore a program to gain elevated privileges due to a library unqualified call made by a BRMS program. This flaw could be exploited by a malicious actor to execute user-controlled code with component access to the host operating system, thereby creating a potential for system compromise or data leakage. Given the high severity of this vulnerability, it is crucial for system administrators and IT security professionals to understand the implications of this flaw and act promptly to mitigate its potential impact.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-33108
Severity: High (8.5 – CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

IBM Backup, Recovery and Media Services for i | 7.4, 7.5

How the Exploit Works

The CVE-2025-33108 vulnerability arises from an unqualified library call made by a BRMS program. In the context of computing, an unqualified call refers to a function call that does not specify the library in which the function resides. If a user has the authority to compile or restore a program, this unqualified call could be manipulated to make the system carry out user-controlled code. As a result, the user could potentially gain elevated privileges and gain control over the host operating system, creating a significant security risk.

Conceptual Example Code

Given the nature of the vulnerability, the exploit would likely involve manipulation of the unqualified call at the program level. Below is an example of what this might look like:

#include <iostream>
#include <library.h>
int main() {
// Unqualified call to function 'vulnerableFunc' in the library
vulnerableFunc("user-controlled code");
}

In this example, `vulnerableFunc` is an unqualified call, and the argument is user-controlled code. If the user has the authority to compile or restore a program, they can manipulate the call to execute their code with elevated privileges.
Please remember that this is a conceptual example and does not represent an actual exploit. The purpose of this illustration is to provide a general understanding of how the vulnerability may be exploited.

Overview

In the realm of cybersecurity, vulnerabilities are a constant concern, especially when they target widely-used enterprise software. One such critical vulnerability, known as CVE-2025-42983, has been recently identified, affecting SAP Business Warehouse and SAP Plug-In Basis. The flaw in question allows authenticated attackers to drop arbitrary SAP database tables, leading to potential data loss or rendering the system unusable. This vulnerability is particularly concerning due to SAP’s extensive use in many business environments, making it a prime target for malicious actors.
Given its severity, it’s essential for organizations using SAP Business Warehouse and SAP Plug-In Basis to understand the nature of this vulnerability, its potential impact, and the necessary steps to mitigate its risks. Failure to do so could result in severe consequences, including system compromise or data leakage.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-42983
Severity: Critical (8.5 CVSS score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: High (Authenticated user)
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

SAP Business Warehouse | All versions
SAP Plug-In Basis | All versions

How the Exploit Works

The exploit takes advantage of the vulnerability in SAP Business Warehouse and SAP Plug-In Basis, where an authenticated attacker can drop arbitrary SAP database tables. The attacker, with high-level privileges, can send a network request to the server that manipulates the server’s logic, leading it to drop or delete database tables. Consequently, this can result in significant data loss or even render the system unusable. It’s important to note that while the attacker can delete data, they cannot read any data, limiting the exploit’s scope to destructive activities.

Conceptual Example Code

Below is a
conceptual
example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. This is a pseudocode representation and not an actual exploit code.

CONNECT TO SAP_DB AS 'authenticated_user' USING 'user_password';
DROP TABLE arbitrary_database_table;
DISCONNECT SAP_DB;

In this example, an authenticated user with high privileges would connect to the SAP database (`SAP_DB`), then execute a `DROP TABLE` command on an arbitrary database table (`arbitrary_database_table`), leading to data loss. Upon completion, the user would then disconnect from the database.

Mitigation Guidance

To mitigate the risk associated with CVE-2025-42983, it’s recommended that affected organizations apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. In the interim, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation. These solutions can monitor network traffic and block suspicious activities that might attempt to exploit this vulnerability. Regular system updates, robust user privilege management, and continuous monitoring of system activities can also help prevent successful exploitation.

Overview

In this blog post, we delve into an alarming vulnerability, CVE-2025-49137, that resides in HAX CMS PHP, a widely-used content management system that allows users to manage their microsite universe with a PHP backend. This critical security flaw, discovered before the release of version 11.0.0, stems from an inadequate sanitization of user input, leaving the door wide open for the execution of arbitrary JavaScript code. This vulnerability is particularly significant due to its potential to compromise the system or leak sensitive data, thereby posing a severe risk to the privacy and security of users and entities alike.

Vulnerability Summary

CVE ID: CVE-2025-49137
Severity: Critical (8.5 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Potential system compromise and data leakage

Affected Products

Product | Affected Versions

HAX CMS PHP | Prior to 11.0.0

How the Exploit Works

The exploit operates by leveraging the application’s failure to sanitize user input sufficiently. Although the application does not permit users to supply a `script` tag, it does allow the use of other HTML tags to run JavaScript. The ‘saveNode’ and ‘saveManifest’ endpoints accept user input and store it in the JSON schema for the site. The malicious content is then rendered in the generated HAX site, paving the way for the execution of arbitrary JavaScript code, which could potentially compromise the system or lead to data leakage.

Conceptual Example Code

Here’s a conceptual example of how this vulnerability may be exploited:

POST /saveNode HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{
"node_data": "<img src='x' onerror='javascript:malicious_code'>"
}

In this example, a malicious user uses an `img` tag with an `onerror` attribute to inject arbitrary JavaScript code into the HAX CMS PHP application. When the malformed `img` tag loads and the error is triggered, the malicious JavaScript code executes.

Mitigation Guidance

To mitigate this vulnerability, users should apply the vendor-provided patch immediately, upgrading their HAX CMS PHP to version 11.0.0 or later. As a temporary measure, users can also employ a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to detect and prevent potential exploitation attempts.