Overview
CVE-2025-53896 describes a high-severity vulnerability affecting Kiteworks Managed File Transfer (MFT) solutions. Specifically, a flaw exists that can prevent user sessions from timing out properly due to inactivity. This can leave sessions active longer than intended, potentially allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data. The vulnerability affects Kiteworks MFT versions prior to 9.1.0. A patch is available in version 9.1.0 to address this issue.
Technical Details
The vulnerability arises from a flaw in the session management mechanism within Kiteworks MFT. Under specific, but unspecified, circumstances, the inactivity timer that is intended to automatically terminate a user session fails to trigger. This means that if a user authenticates and then leaves their session unattended, it may remain active indefinitely, or at least significantly longer than the configured timeout period. The exact root cause of the failure to properly time out is likely related to an error in how the application tracks session activity or handles timer events. Further reverse engineering would be required to pinpoint the exact code location of the error.
CVSS Analysis
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) score for CVE-2025-53896 is 7.1 (High). This score reflects the potential for unauthorized access to sensitive data and the relative ease with which the vulnerability could be exploited.
Possible Impact
A successful exploitation of this vulnerability can have serious consequences:
- Unauthorized Access: Inactive sessions that remain open provide an opportunity for attackers to gain unauthorized access to the system and its data.
- Data Breach: Depending on the permissions of the affected user, an attacker could potentially access, modify, or exfiltrate sensitive data stored and managed by Kiteworks MFT.
- Compliance Violations: Many regulatory frameworks require strict access controls and session management. Failure to properly manage sessions can lead to compliance violations.
- Lateral Movement: If the compromised account has sufficient permissions, an attacker could use it as a stepping stone to access other systems on the network (lateral movement).
Mitigation and Patch Steps
The primary mitigation for CVE-2025-53896 is to upgrade to Kiteworks MFT version 9.1.0 or later. Follow these steps:
- Backup: Before applying any updates, create a complete backup of your Kiteworks MFT environment.
- Review Release Notes: Consult the official Kiteworks release notes for version 9.1.0 for specific instructions and any potential compatibility considerations.
- Apply the Patch: Follow the documented procedure for upgrading your Kiteworks MFT installation to version 9.1.0.
- Verification: After the upgrade, thoroughly test the system to ensure that the vulnerability has been remediated and that all functionality is working as expected. Specifically, test the session timeout functionality.
- Monitor: Continuously monitor the system for any suspicious activity.
