CVE-2024-25699 is an improper authentication vulnerability classified under CWE-287 affecting Esri Portal for ArcGIS versions 11.2 and below on Windows and Linux, as well as ArcGIS Enterprise versions 11.1 and below running on Kubernetes. The flaw resides in the Home application component and allows a remote attacker who already has low-privileged authenticated access to bypass authentication and authorization mechanisms. This results in a scope change, enabling the attacker to escalate privileges beyond their assigned access rights. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the software, potentially allowing unauthorized data access, modification, or service disruption. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 8.5 (high), reflecting network attack vector, high impact on all security properties, and the requirement for low privileges but high attack complexity. Exploitation does not require user interaction, but the attack is considered difficult to execute. No public exploits have been reported yet, and no patches were linked at the time of disclosure. The vulnerability affects all versions up to the specified releases, indicating a broad attack surface for organizations using these Esri products. Given Esri's widespread use in geospatial and critical infrastructure sectors, this vulnerability poses a significant risk if exploited.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-25699 can be substantial due to the critical role Esri Portal for ArcGIS plays in managing geospatial data and services across government, utilities, transportation, and environmental sectors. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive spatial data, manipulation of geographic information systems, and disruption of services dependent on ArcGIS infrastructure. This could affect emergency response coordination, urban planning, critical infrastructure monitoring, and national security-related geospatial intelligence. The scope change and privilege escalation could allow attackers to move laterally within networks, increasing the risk of broader compromise. Confidentiality breaches could expose sensitive location data, while integrity violations could result in corrupted or falsified geospatial information, undermining decision-making processes. Availability impacts could disrupt essential services relying on GIS platforms. The difficulty of exploitation somewhat limits immediate risk, but the high impact necessitates proactive mitigation.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigations: 1) Monitor Esri’s official channels closely for patches or updates addressing CVE-2024-25699 and apply them promptly once available. 2) Restrict low-privileged user access to the Portal for ArcGIS Home application to the minimum necessary, employing the principle of least privilege. 3) Enforce strong authentication mechanisms and consider multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of compromised credentials. 4) Conduct thorough access reviews and remove unnecessary accounts or permissions that could be leveraged by attackers. 5) Implement network segmentation to isolate GIS infrastructure from broader enterprise networks, limiting lateral movement opportunities. 6) Enable detailed logging and continuous monitoring of authentication and authorization events within ArcGIS environments to detect anomalous activities indicative of exploitation attempts. 7) Conduct internal penetration testing and vulnerability assessments focusing on ArcGIS deployments to identify potential exploitation paths. 8) Educate administrators and users about the risks associated with improper authentication vulnerabilities and the importance of secure access controls. These measures, combined with timely patching, will reduce the likelihood and impact of exploitation.