Overview
The CVE-2025-29992 vulnerability is a critical flaw in the Mahara ePortfolio system that can expose database connection information under certain conditions. This vulnerability affects Mahara versions prior to 24.04.9 and opens the possibility of system compromise or data leakage, potentially impacting institutions and individuals using the affected versions. It’s a significant vulnerability due to the severity of the potential impact and the widespread use of the Mahara system.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-29992
Severity: High (CVSS 7.5)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise and potential data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Mahara | Before 24.04.9
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability arises when the Mahara system fails to establish a connection to its database, such as when the database server is down or overloaded. In such scenarios, the system inadvertently exposes its database connection information, including potentially sensitive details that could be exploited by malicious actors for unauthorized access to the system or data theft.
Conceptual Example Code
Assuming a malicious actor can intercept the system’s response when a database connection failure occurs, they might see a response similar to this:
HTTP/1.1 500 Internal Server Error
Content-Type: text/plain
Database connection failed: host=db.example.com port=5432 dbname=mahara user=admin password=secretThis response, while intended for debugging purposes, provides a potential attacker with crucial database connection details that can be used for further exploitation.
Mitigation Guidance
Users of affected Mahara versions are strongly advised to apply the latest vendor patch to resolve this vulnerability. If a patch can’t be applied immediately, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation, although this won’t fully eliminate the vulnerability. Regular monitoring and quick response to any suspicious activity can also help limit the potential damage.