CVE-2025-12815 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-283 (Unverified Ownership) affecting the Virtual Desktop preview feature of AWS Research and Engineering Studio (RES) before version 2025.09. The flaw arises because the system does not properly verify ownership when displaying active desktop session metadata, including periodic screenshots, on the preview page. An authenticated remote attacker can exploit this by accessing another user's session metadata without requiring additional privileges or user interaction. This leads to unauthorized disclosure of potentially sensitive information contained in the desktop previews, which could include confidential research data or proprietary engineering work. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network with low attack complexity and no need for user interaction. AWS has addressed this issue in version 2025.09, and users are advised to upgrade promptly. No public exploits have been reported, but the exposure of session metadata poses a moderate confidentiality risk. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required beyond authentication (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and no impact on integrity or availability, resulting in a base score of 5.3 (medium severity).

For European organizations, especially those engaged in research and engineering sectors relying on AWS RES, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive session data, including screenshots that may reveal confidential project details or intellectual property. The breach of confidentiality could undermine competitive advantage, violate data protection regulations such as GDPR, and damage organizational reputation. Since the vulnerability does not affect integrity or availability, operational disruption is unlikely, but the exposure of sensitive information is a significant concern. Organizations with multiple users accessing shared AWS RES environments are at higher risk. The ease of exploitation and lack of user interaction requirements increase the likelihood of unauthorized data access if the vulnerability is unpatched.

Organizations should immediately upgrade AWS Research and Engineering Studio to version 2025.09 or later, where the ownership verification issue has been resolved. Additionally, implement strict access controls and monitoring on RES environments to detect unusual access patterns to desktop session previews. Employ multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce risk from compromised credentials. Regularly audit user permissions to ensure least privilege principles are enforced. Consider network segmentation to isolate RES environments from broader corporate networks. Educate users about the sensitivity of session data and the importance of reporting suspicious activity. Finally, maintain up-to-date incident response plans to quickly address any potential data exposure incidents.