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CVE-2025-29992: High Severity Database Connection Information Exposure in Mahara

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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=secret

This 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.

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Disclaimer:

The information and code presented in this article are provided for educational and defensive cybersecurity purposes only. Any conceptual or pseudocode examples are simplified representations intended to raise awareness and promote secure development and system configuration practices.

Do not use this information to attempt unauthorized access or exploit vulnerabilities on systems that you do not own or have explicit permission to test.

Ameeba and its authors do not endorse or condone malicious behavior and are not responsible for misuse of the content. Always follow ethical hacking guidelines, responsible disclosure practices, and local laws.

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