CVE-2025-14559 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-840 (Business Logic Errors) found in the keycloak-services component of the Red Hat Build of Keycloak. The flaw arises in the token exchange flow, a feature that allows a privileged client to exchange tokens on behalf of a user. Due to improper handling of user status, the system permits issuance of new access and refresh tokens for users who have been disabled, effectively circumventing the revocation of their privileges. This means that even after a user is disabled—typically to prevent further access—an attacker controlling a privileged client can still obtain valid tokens and maintain unauthorized access. The vulnerability requires a privileged client to invoke the token exchange flow, does not require user interaction, and can be exploited remotely over the network. The CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N) indicates network attack vector, low attack complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high impact on confidentiality and integrity but no impact on availability. No patches or public exploits have been reported yet, but the flaw represents a significant risk to identity and access management security in affected environments.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the security of identity and access management systems that rely on the Red Hat Build of Keycloak. Unauthorized issuance of tokens for disabled users can lead to privilege escalation, unauthorized data access, and potential lateral movement within networks. Confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information are at risk, especially in sectors with strict compliance requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government. Since Keycloak is widely used in enterprise environments across Europe for single sign-on and identity federation, exploitation could undermine trust in authentication mechanisms and lead to data breaches or regulatory penalties under GDPR. The lack of impact on availability reduces the chance of immediate detection, allowing attackers to maintain stealthy persistent access.

Organizations should monitor Red Hat and Keycloak advisories closely and apply security patches as soon as they become available. In the interim, review and restrict the privileges of clients authorized to perform token exchange operations, ensuring only fully trusted clients have such capabilities. Implement strict monitoring and logging of token exchange requests to detect anomalous activity, particularly attempts to exchange tokens for disabled users. Consider implementing additional access control checks or custom policies within Keycloak to verify user status before token issuance. Regularly audit user account statuses and revoke or rotate tokens for disabled users proactively. Employ network segmentation and least privilege principles to limit the impact of compromised privileged clients. Finally, conduct penetration testing focused on token exchange flows to identify potential exploitation paths.