CVE-2025-1041 is a critical vulnerability identified in the Avaya Call Management System (CMS), specifically affecting versions 18.x, 19.x prior to 19.2.0.7, and 20.x prior to 20.0.1.0. The root cause is improper input validation (CWE-20) that allows an attacker to send specially crafted web requests to the system. This flaw enables unauthorized remote command execution, meaning an attacker with network access and low privileges (PR:L) can execute arbitrary commands on the affected system without requiring user interaction (UI:N). The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.9, indicating critical severity with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vector string (AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H) highlights that the attack can be launched remotely over the network with low attack complexity, requires some privileges but no user interaction, and the scope is changed, affecting resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. Exploitation could lead to full system compromise, data leakage, disruption of telephony services, or lateral movement within the network. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the severity and nature of the vulnerability make it a high-risk target for attackers once exploit code becomes available. The Avaya CMS is a widely used telephony management platform in enterprise environments, responsible for call routing, monitoring, and management, making it a critical infrastructure component.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is significant due to the widespread use of Avaya CMS in enterprise telephony and contact center environments. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive call data, disruption of communication services, and potential compromise of connected internal networks. This could affect confidentiality by exposing call recordings and user data, integrity by allowing manipulation of call management functions, and availability by causing denial of service or system outages. Given the critical role of telephony in business operations, especially in sectors like finance, healthcare, and government, exploitation could result in operational downtime, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR breaches), reputational damage, and financial losses. The vulnerability's ability to be exploited remotely with low complexity increases the risk of widespread attacks targeting European enterprises relying on Avaya CMS.

1. Immediate application of vendor patches or updates once available is paramount. Since no patch links are currently provided, organizations should monitor Avaya's official security advisories and apply updates to versions 19.2.0.7 or 20.0.1.0 or later as soon as they are released. 2. In the interim, restrict network access to the Avaya CMS management interfaces by implementing strict firewall rules, allowing only trusted administrative IP addresses to connect. 3. Employ network segmentation to isolate the Avaya CMS from general user networks and limit exposure to potential attackers. 4. Enable and review detailed logging and monitoring of CMS web interface access to detect suspicious or anomalous requests indicative of exploitation attempts. 5. Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focusing on telephony infrastructure to identify and remediate weaknesses proactively. 6. Implement multi-factor authentication and least privilege principles for all CMS administrative accounts to reduce the risk of privilege escalation. 7. Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability to ensure rapid response and incident handling if exploitation is suspected.