Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

Critical Security Vulnerability: CVE-2025-58121 Impacts Checkmk REST API

Overview

CVE-2025-58121 describes a critical security vulnerability found in Checkmk, a popular IT infrastructure monitoring solution. Specifically, the issue resides in the insufficient permission validation on multiple REST API endpoints within Checkmk versions 2.2.0, 2.3.0, and 2.4.0 (prior to version 2.4.0p16). This vulnerability allows low-privileged users to potentially perform unauthorized actions or gain access to sensitive information through the exposed REST API.

Technical Details

The vulnerability stems from inadequate checks on user permissions when accessing certain REST API endpoints. This lack of proper validation enables a low-privileged user, who should only have limited access, to bypass these restrictions and execute functions or retrieve data that they are not authorized to access. The specific affected API endpoints are not explicitly listed in the CVE description, but the Checkmk werk referenced below likely provides more details. This makes proper patching critical to maintain a secure environment.

CVSS Analysis

The provided information indicates that the CVSS score for CVE-2025-58121 is currently listed as “N/A”. While a specific score isn’t available, the description clearly points to a significant risk due to the potential for unauthorized actions and information disclosure. It’s crucial to prioritize patching based on the potential impact to your specific environment, even without a concrete CVSS score. Monitor official Checkmk communications for updates and clarifications regarding the severity.

Possible Impact

The exploitation of CVE-2025-58121 could lead to various detrimental outcomes, including:

  • Unauthorized Data Access: Low-privileged users could gain access to sensitive monitoring data, potentially revealing confidential information about the IT infrastructure.
  • Configuration Changes: Attackers could potentially modify Checkmk configurations, disrupting monitoring operations or even manipulating the system to conceal malicious activity.
  • Privilege Escalation: While not explicitly stated, the ability to execute unauthorized actions through the API could potentially be chained with other vulnerabilities to achieve privilege escalation.
  • Denial of Service: If the unauthorized actions involve resource-intensive operations, it could lead to performance degradation or denial of service.

Mitigation or Patch Steps

The primary mitigation step is to upgrade Checkmk to version 2.4.0p16 or later. This patch resolves the insufficient permission validation issue in the REST API. Follow these steps:

  1. Backup your Checkmk environment: Before applying any updates, create a complete backup of your Checkmk configuration and data.
  2. Download the latest patch: Obtain the 2.4.0p16 patch (or a later version) from the official Checkmk website.
  3. Apply the patch: Follow the official Checkmk upgrade instructions to apply the patch.
  4. Verify the installation: After the upgrade, verify that the REST API endpoints are properly secured and that low-privileged users cannot perform unauthorized actions.
  5. Monitor your system: Continuously monitor your Checkmk environment for any suspicious activity.

References

Cybersecurity specialist and founder of Gowri Shankar Infosec - a professional blog dedicated to sharing actionable insights on cybersecurity, data protection, server administration, and compliance frameworks including SOC 2, PCI DSS, and GDPR.

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