Overview
CVE-2025-53900 identifies a medium-severity vulnerability in Kiteworks Managed File Transfer (MFT) versions prior to 9.1.0. This flaw arises from an improper definition of roles and permissions related to managing Connections within the Kiteworks MFT platform. Exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to an unexpected escalation of privileges for authorized users, allowing them to perform actions beyond their intended scope.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from insufficient access control checks when managing Connections in Kiteworks MFT. Specifically, the system fails to adequately validate user roles and permissions before granting access to modify or delete Connections. This allows a user with limited privileges to potentially manipulate Connections in a way that grants them elevated access to sensitive data or system functionalities. This vulnerability allows users to gain unauthorized access to perform actions they shouldn’t be able to do, such as reading other’s file shares.
CVSS Analysis
- Severity: MEDIUM
- CVSS Score: 6.5
A CVSS score of 6.5 indicates a medium-severity vulnerability. While not a critical vulnerability, its potential for privilege escalation warrants prompt attention and remediation. The base score considers factors such as attack complexity, privileges required, and scope of impact.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-53900 could have significant consequences, including:
- Unauthorized Access: Users with escalated privileges could gain access to sensitive files and data they are not authorized to view or modify.
- Data Breach: The vulnerability could be leveraged to exfiltrate sensitive data, leading to a data breach.
- System Compromise: In some scenarios, escalated privileges could potentially be used to compromise the entire Kiteworks MFT system.
- Disruption of Services: Unauthorized modification of Connections could disrupt file transfer workflows and impact business operations.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
The vulnerability has been addressed in Kiteworks MFT version 9.1.0. Organizations using affected versions are strongly advised to upgrade to version 9.1.0 or later as soon as possible. To mitigate the risk before patching, restrict access to the Connections management functionality to only the necessary personnel and monitor for any suspicious activity.
- Upgrade Kiteworks MFT: The primary mitigation step is to upgrade your Kiteworks MFT installation to version 9.1.0 or later.
- Review User Permissions: Carefully review and restrict user permissions related to Connection management.
- Monitor System Logs: Monitor system logs for any unusual activity related to Connection modifications or access attempts.
