Overview
CVE-2025-65899 describes a user enumeration vulnerability affecting Kalmia CMS version 0.2.0. This vulnerability resides within the application’s authentication mechanism. By observing differing error messages returned by the system during login attempts, an unauthenticated attacker can determine valid usernames present on the system. This can be a crucial first step in a more complex attack.
Technical Details
The vulnerability stems from the way Kalmia CMS 0.2.0 handles authentication failures. When an attacker attempts to log in with an invalid username, the system returns an error message indicating “user_not_found”. However, if the username is valid but the password is incorrect, the system returns a different error message, such as “invalid_password”. This difference in response allows an attacker to systematically probe the system with various usernames. By analyzing the error messages received, they can identify valid usernames without needing to know the passwords. This is a classic example of an information disclosure vulnerability.
CVSS Analysis
Currently, the CVSS score for CVE-2025-65899 is listed as N/A (Not Available). While user enumeration itself isn’t a direct compromise of the system, it significantly lowers the bar for attackers. It removes one layer of defense and provides them with valuable information for subsequent attacks, such as password guessing or targeted phishing campaigns. A CVSS score is expected to be assigned, and it will likely fall within the Low to Medium range, depending on the ease of exploitation and potential impact considered by the assigning authority.
Possible Impact
While user enumeration itself may not seem critical, its impact can be significant:
- Targeted Attacks: Knowing valid usernames allows attackers to craft highly targeted phishing emails, increasing the likelihood of success.
- Brute-Force Attacks: With a list of valid usernames, attackers can focus their brute-force password attacks, reducing the search space and increasing their chances of cracking passwords.
- Social Engineering: Enumerated usernames can be used to gather information about users from publicly available sources (social media, etc.), further aiding social engineering attempts.
- Account Lockout Circumvention: By knowing valid usernames, attackers can attempt to lock out specific accounts as a denial-of-service tactic.
Mitigation and Patch Steps
Unfortunately, there is no officially released patch for Kalmia CMS 0.2.0 at this time. Given the project’s potential state (as indicated by the linked GitHub repository), a patch may not be forthcoming. Here are some potential mitigation steps:
- Implement Generic Error Messages: Modify the application code to return the same generic error message for both invalid usernames and incorrect passwords. This will eliminate the observable difference that allows for enumeration. For example, return a message like “Invalid login credentials.”
- Rate Limiting: Implement rate limiting on the login endpoint to slow down attackers attempting to enumerate usernames. Excessive login attempts from the same IP address should be temporarily blocked.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF): Configure a WAF to detect and block suspicious login attempts, such as those originating from bots or attempting a large number of usernames in a short period.
- Consider Alternative CMS Solutions: If ongoing maintenance and security updates are a concern, consider migrating to a more actively maintained CMS platform.
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