CVE-2025-10360 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Perforce's Puppet Enterprise versions 2025.4.0 and 2025.5. The issue arises from insufficient protection of credentials (CWE-522) related to the Infra Assistant feature, which is available only to users with a Puppet Enterprise Advanced license. Specifically, the encryption key used to encrypt the API key for the AI provider account within the Infra Assistant database was inadvertently included in the files collected during Puppet backup operations. This exposure means that anyone with access to the backup files could potentially retrieve the encryption key and decrypt the API key, compromising the confidentiality of this credential. The vulnerability does not require user interaction or remote authentication but does require privileged access (PR:H) to the system to access the backup files containing the key. The vulnerability has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 6.9, reflecting a medium severity level, with network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required for exploitation (AT:N), but requiring high privileges (PR:H) in practice. The scope is limited (SC:L), and the impact is primarily on confidentiality (VC:H), with no impact on integrity or availability. The issue was addressed in Puppet Enterprise version 2025.6, which excludes the encryption key from backup files. For users unable to upgrade immediately, the vendor has provided remediation steps in the release notes of version 2025.6. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild. This vulnerability highlights the risk of sensitive credential exposure through backup processes, emphasizing the need for careful handling of encryption keys and sensitive data in backup and recovery workflows.

For European organizations using Puppet Enterprise with the Advanced license and Infra Assistant feature enabled, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of the AI provider API key if an attacker gains access to backup files. Such a compromise could allow attackers to misuse the AI provider account, potentially leading to data leakage, unauthorized automation actions, or further lateral movement within the network if the AI integration is leveraged for operational tasks. While the vulnerability requires high privileges to access backup files, insider threats or attackers who have already escalated privileges could exploit this weakness. The impact is primarily on confidentiality, with no direct effect on system integrity or availability. However, the indirect consequences of credential compromise could be significant, especially in environments relying heavily on AI-driven automation and integrations. European organizations with strict data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) must consider the risk of credential exposure as a potential data breach, which could lead to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. The limited scope and absence of known exploits reduce immediate risk, but the presence of sensitive credentials in backups remains a critical operational security concern.

1. Immediate Upgrade: Organizations should prioritize upgrading Puppet Enterprise to version 2025.6 or later, which removes the encryption key from backup files. 2. Backup File Access Controls: Restrict access to Puppet backup files to only trusted administrators and secure backup storage locations with strong access controls and encryption at rest. 3. Audit and Monitor: Implement auditing and monitoring of backup file access and privilege escalations to detect any unauthorized attempts to access sensitive backup data. 4. Rotate API Keys: Rotate the AI provider API keys used by the Infra Assistant feature to invalidate any potentially exposed credentials. 5. Follow Vendor Remediation: For organizations unable to upgrade immediately, carefully follow the remediation steps provided in the 2025.6 release notes to mitigate exposure risk. 6. Harden Privileged Access: Enforce strict privilege management and use just-in-time access controls to minimize the risk of privileged account compromise. 7. Backup Encryption: Ensure backups are encrypted independently of Puppet’s internal encryption mechanisms to add an additional layer of protection. 8. Incident Response Preparedness: Prepare incident response plans to address potential credential compromise scenarios involving AI provider accounts.