CVE-2025-2746 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability affecting Kentico Xperience, specifically through the Staging Sync Server's password handling of empty SHA1 usernames in digest authentication. This vulnerability allows an attacker to bypass authentication and control administrative objects, which can lead to significant security breaches. The CVSS score for this vulnerability is 9.8, categorizing it as critical. Organizations utilizing Kentico Xperience versions up to 13.0.172 are at risk and must take immediate action.
The urgency for defenders is paramount. Organizations should prioritize patching immediately to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. The risk to organizations includes unauthorized administrative access, which could be leveraged to manipulate data, alter configurations, or execute unauthorized commands within the affected systems.
As of now, there is no known public exploit for this vulnerability, but it has been added to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, indicating its significance. The deadline for applying mitigations as per vendor instructions is November 10, 2025, making timely remediation essential.
Given the high severity and potential impact of this vulnerability, organizations must assess their exposure and implement the necessary updates to their systems.
Vulnerability Details
CVE-2025-2746 is classified as an authentication bypass vulnerability, allowing unauthorized access to administrative functions. The vulnerability is reported to have a CVSS score of 9.8, indicating its critical nature. The affected product is Kentico Xperience, with versions up to 13.0.172 being vulnerable. The issue was published on March 24, 2025, and is associated with CWE-288, which relates to improper authentication.
Technical Analysis
The root cause of this vulnerability stems from inadequate handling of empty SHA1 usernames during digest authentication in the Staging Sync Server. This oversight allows attackers to exploit the functionality without requiring any privileges or user interaction, leading to a low complexity attack vector that can be executed over a network.
The potential impacts of this vulnerability include high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts, making it a significant risk for organizations utilizing Kentico Xperience.
Risk & Impact Analysis
This vulnerability poses a serious threat to organizations due to its ability to bypass authentication and control administrative objects. The blast radius is substantial, as it allows for unauthorized modifications and access to sensitive data. Organizations must consider the potential for data breaches, unauthorized data manipulation, and associated reputational damage as part of their risk assessments.
With the vulnerability being listed in the KEV catalog, it signifies that it is actively being targeted by attackers. Organizations must act swiftly to mitigate the risks associated with this vulnerability, especially considering its critical CVSS score and the potential for exploitation.
Exploitation Status
Signal | Status |
|---|---|
Known Exploit | No |
Public PoC | No |
Actively Exploited | Yes |
Ransomware Use | No |
Affected Versions
The vulnerability affects all versions of Kentico Xperience up to and including version 13.0.172. Organizations must ensure they are running an updated version to mitigate this critical risk.
Mitigation & Remediation
Organizations should apply patches provided by Kentico as soon as possible. The vendor's hotfixes can be accessed through their portal at hotfixes. It is critical to follow the vendor's guidance for mitigating this vulnerability. If patches are unavailable, organizations must consider the possibility of discontinuing the use of the affected product.
Detection Guidance
Organizations should monitor their logs for any unauthorized access attempts or anomalies that could indicate exploitation of this vulnerability. Behavioral anomalies and unexpected changes to administrative objects should be flagged and investigated promptly.
AppSecure Threat Intelligence Insight
The long-term significance of CVE-2025-2746 highlights the critical need for robust authentication mechanisms in web applications. This vulnerability represents a pattern of weaknesses in authentication processes, particularly in scenarios involving administrative access. Security teams are encouraged to learn from this and strengthen their authentication controls, ensuring they are not susceptible to similar vulnerabilities in the future.
For comprehensive security assessments, organizations may consider engaging in application security assessments and regular penetration testing to proactively identify and remediate vulnerabilities within their systems. Furthermore, reviewing continuous penetration testing strategies can help maintain secure environments and reduce the risk of exploitation.
To further enhance security posture, organizations should also consider implementing a red teaming exercise to test their defenses against real-world attack scenarios.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
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