CVE-2025-12414 is an authentication bypass vulnerability classified under CWE-290, affecting Google Cloud Looker instances configured with OpenID Connect (OIDC) authentication. The root cause is improper normalization of email address strings during the authentication process, which allows an attacker to spoof email addresses and bypass authentication controls. This flaw enables an attacker to assume the identity of a legitimate user without valid credentials, effectively taking over their Looker account. Both Looker-hosted and self-hosted deployments were initially vulnerable; however, Google has already mitigated the issue in Looker-hosted environments. Self-hosted instances remain at risk until upgraded to patched versions, which include 24.12.100+, 24.18.193+, 25.0.69+, 25.6.57+, 25.8.39+, 25.10.22+, and 25.12.0+. The vulnerability has a CVSS 4.0 base score of 9.2, reflecting critical severity with network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and high impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Exploitation could allow unauthorized access to sensitive business intelligence data, manipulation of analytics, and disruption of services. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the potential impact is significant, especially for organizations relying heavily on Looker for data analytics and decision-making. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure handling of identity attributes and proper normalization to prevent spoofing attacks in federated authentication systems.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a critical risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of business intelligence data managed through Looker. Attackers exploiting this flaw could gain unauthorized access to sensitive analytics dashboards, reports, and underlying data sources, potentially leading to data breaches, intellectual property theft, and manipulation of business-critical insights. The ability to bypass authentication without user interaction or privileges increases the likelihood of automated attacks and widespread compromise. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and government, which rely on Looker for data-driven decision-making, could face operational disruptions and regulatory compliance issues, including GDPR violations due to unauthorized data access. The impact is exacerbated for self-hosted deployments that have not yet applied the patches, as these environments remain exposed. The threat also extends to supply chain partners and customers if Looker data is shared externally. Overall, the vulnerability could undermine trust in cloud analytics platforms and necessitate urgent security reviews and incident response preparations.

European organizations using self-hosted Google Cloud Looker instances configured with OIDC authentication must immediately upgrade to one of the patched versions listed (24.12.100+, 24.18.193+, 25.0.69+, 25.6.57+, 25.8.39+, 25.10.22+, or 25.12.0+). Beyond patching, organizations should audit their OIDC configurations to ensure strict validation and normalization of identity attributes, particularly email addresses. Implement additional multi-factor authentication (MFA) layers where possible to reduce the risk of account takeover. Monitor authentication logs for unusual login patterns or anomalies indicative of spoofing attempts. Conduct regular penetration testing focused on identity and access management controls within Looker environments. Establish incident response plans specific to Looker account compromises, including rapid revocation of compromised credentials and forensic analysis. Educate administrators and users about the risks of identity spoofing and the importance of timely updates. Finally, consider network segmentation and least privilege principles to limit the impact of any potential compromise within analytics infrastructure.