CVE-2025-12485 identifies a security vulnerability in Devolutions Server, a privileged access management solution widely used for managing remote connections and credentials. The flaw arises from improper privilege management during the handling of pre-MFA session cookies. Specifically, a low-privileged authenticated user can replay a pre-MFA cookie associated with another account, effectively impersonating that account before the multi-factor authentication step is enforced. This vulnerability is categorized under CWE-269, indicating a failure to properly restrict privileges. Although the MFA verification step is not bypassed for the target account, the ability to impersonate another user prior to MFA enforcement can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive resources or administrative functions. The affected versions include Devolutions Server 2025.3.5.0 and earlier. No CVSS score has been assigned yet, and no known exploits have been reported in the wild, suggesting the vulnerability is newly disclosed. The root cause is inadequate session and cookie management during the authentication workflow, which allows replay attacks on pre-MFA cookies. This can facilitate lateral movement or privilege escalation within an organization's environment if exploited. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure session token handling and robust MFA enforcement mechanisms in privileged access management systems.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-12485 can be significant, especially for those relying on Devolutions Server to manage privileged credentials and remote access. Unauthorized impersonation of accounts, even if limited to pre-MFA stages, can enable attackers to gain footholds within networks, access sensitive systems, or perform actions under the guise of legitimate users. This can lead to data breaches, disruption of critical services, and compromise of confidential information. The vulnerability undermines the integrity and confidentiality of authentication processes, potentially facilitating insider threats or external attackers who have obtained low-level credentials. Given the role of privileged access management in securing enterprise environments, exploitation could also impact availability if attackers disrupt administrative controls or escalate privileges. The absence of known exploits currently reduces immediate risk, but the vulnerability's nature makes it a high-value target for attackers aiming to bypass layered security controls. Organizations in sectors such as finance, government, healthcare, and critical infrastructure in Europe are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on secure privileged access management.

1. Monitor Devolutions' official channels closely for patches addressing CVE-2025-12485 and apply them promptly once released. 2. Implement strict session management policies that invalidate pre-MFA cookies immediately upon MFA initiation or failure. 3. Enhance logging and monitoring to detect unusual authentication patterns, such as multiple pre-MFA cookie replays or account impersonation attempts. 4. Enforce network segmentation and least privilege principles to limit the impact of compromised accounts. 5. Conduct regular security audits and penetration tests focusing on authentication workflows and session handling. 6. Educate users and administrators about the risks of session replay and the importance of MFA enforcement. 7. Consider deploying additional anomaly detection tools that can identify suspicious session behaviors in real time. 8. Review and harden the configuration of Devolutions Server, disabling any legacy or unnecessary authentication mechanisms that might increase risk. 9. If possible, implement additional MFA factors or adaptive authentication to reduce reliance on cookie-based session tokens. 10. Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing potential exploitation of privilege management flaws.