CVE-2025-12381 is a vulnerability categorized under CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management) affecting AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer on 64-bit Linux platforms, specifically versions A33.0 (up to build 320) and A33.10 (up to build 220). The vulnerability arises because a local user with command line access can exploit parameters of a command that is approved in the sudoers file to escalate their privileges beyond intended limits. This improper handling of privilege escalation vectors allows an attacker with low privileges (partial authentication) to gain higher privileges by manipulating command parameters, potentially leading to unauthorized access or control over the system. The vulnerability requires user interaction and local access, limiting remote exploitation but posing a significant risk in environments where multiple users have shell access. The CVSS 4.0 score of 6.1 reflects a medium severity, with attack vector local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), partial authentication (AT:P), and user interaction required (UI:A). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is high due to the potential for privilege escalation. No public exploits are currently known, but the vulnerability's presence in a critical firewall management tool makes it a notable risk. AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer is widely used in enterprise environments to manage and analyze firewall policies, making this vulnerability particularly relevant for organizations relying on it for network security management. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure necessitates immediate mitigation steps to reduce risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized privilege escalation on systems running AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer, potentially allowing local attackers to gain elevated privileges. This could lead to unauthorized modification or disabling of firewall policies, exposing networks to further attacks or data breaches. The impact is especially critical for organizations in sectors such as finance, energy, telecommunications, and government, where firewall configurations are integral to protecting sensitive data and critical infrastructure. Compromise of firewall management tools can undermine network security posture, leading to cascading effects on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of IT systems. Since the vulnerability requires local access, insider threats or compromised user accounts represent the primary risk vectors. The medium severity rating suggests that while the vulnerability is not trivially exploitable remotely, it should not be underestimated due to the sensitive nature of the affected product. European organizations with multi-user Linux environments hosting AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer are particularly vulnerable if sudo permissions are not tightly controlled.

1. Immediately audit and restrict sudoers file permissions to ensure that only necessary commands are allowed with elevated privileges, minimizing parameter abuse opportunities. 2. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on systems running AlgoSec Firewall Analyzer to detect unusual local user activities or privilege escalation attempts. 3. Enforce the principle of least privilege for all users with shell access, limiting the number of users who can execute commands with sudo. 4. Deploy host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) to alert on suspicious command executions or privilege escalations. 5. Regularly review and update firewall analyzer configurations and logs to identify potential misuse. 6. Coordinate with AlgoSec for timely patch releases and apply updates as soon as they become available. 7. Consider isolating the Firewall Analyzer environment to reduce exposure to untrusted users. 8. Conduct user training to raise awareness about the risks of local privilege escalation and secure command usage. 9. Use multi-factor authentication and session logging for administrative access to reduce insider threat risks.