CVE-2025-12998 is an improper authentication vulnerability (CWE-287) identified in the TYPO3 Extension "Modules" developed by codingms/modules. The vulnerability affects multiple major versions of the extension: all versions before 4.3.11, versions from 5.0.0 up to but not including 5.7.4, versions from 6.0.0 up to but not including 6.4.2, and versions from 7.0.0 up to but not including 7.5.5. This flaw allows remote attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms without requiring any privileges or user interaction, enabling unauthorized access to restricted module functionalities within TYPO3 CMS. The CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N) indicates network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and a high impact on confidentiality, with no impact on integrity or availability. The vulnerability arises from improper authentication checks in the extension’s code, which could allow attackers to access sensitive administrative modules or data. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the high CVSS score and the widespread use of TYPO3 in European organizations make this a critical issue. The vulnerability was published on November 12, 2025, and TYPO3 has released patched versions to address the issue, though no direct patch links are provided in the data. Organizations running affected TYPO3 versions should urgently apply updates and audit their access control configurations to mitigate risk.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk of unauthorized access to TYPO3 CMS administrative modules, potentially exposing sensitive data or allowing further compromise of web infrastructure. TYPO3 is widely used in Europe, especially in Germany, the Netherlands, France, and other countries with strong open-source CMS adoption. Exploitation could lead to data confidentiality breaches, unauthorized content modification, or pivoting to other internal systems. Given the vulnerability requires no authentication or user interaction, attackers can remotely exploit it with relative ease, increasing the likelihood of targeted attacks against government, educational, and commercial websites relying on TYPO3. The impact is primarily on confidentiality, but unauthorized access could also facilitate further attacks affecting integrity and availability. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, especially as attackers often develop exploits after public disclosure.

1. Immediately upgrade the TYPO3 Extension "Modules" to the latest patched versions: at least 4.3.11, 5.7.4, 6.4.2, or 7.5.5 depending on the installed major version. 2. Conduct a thorough audit of TYPO3 user roles and permissions to ensure least privilege principles are enforced, minimizing exposure if partial bypass occurs. 3. Implement web application firewalls (WAF) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting TYPO3 module endpoints. 4. Monitor TYPO3 logs for unusual access patterns or repeated authentication bypass attempts. 5. Restrict access to TYPO3 backend interfaces by IP whitelisting or VPN access where feasible. 6. Stay updated with TYPO3 security advisories and subscribe to relevant vulnerability feeds for timely patching. 7. Consider deploying runtime application self-protection (RASP) tools to detect and prevent exploitation attempts in real time. 8. Backup TYPO3 configurations and data regularly to enable quick recovery in case of compromise.