CVE-2025-14823 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-201 (Insertion of Sensitive Information Into Sent Data) affecting ConnectWise ScreenConnect deployments that utilize the ScreenConnect Certificate Signing Extension prior to version 1.0.12. The flaw arises because encrypted configuration values, including keys related to Azure Key Vault integration, can be inadvertently returned to unauthenticated users through a client-facing API endpoint. While these values remain encrypted and securely stored at rest, their encrypted forms are exposed in client responses, which could potentially be captured by attackers. This exposure does not directly compromise the confidentiality of the keys due to encryption but may provide attackers with encrypted data useful for cryptanalysis or to gain insights into the system's configuration. The vulnerability does not require any authentication or user interaction, making it accessible remotely over the network. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.3 (medium severity), reflecting the low impact on confidentiality and no impact on integrity or availability. The root cause is the client-side rendering or transmission of sensitive encrypted configuration data that should be handled exclusively on the server side. The vendor has addressed this issue by releasing Certificate Signing Extension version 1.0.12, which ensures that sensitive configuration handling is performed solely on the server, preventing encrypted values from being sent to or rendered by client components. No public exploits have been reported, but the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted reconnaissance or as part of a multi-stage attack.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-14823 is the potential leakage of encrypted sensitive configuration data to unauthenticated external actors. Although the data is encrypted, its exposure could facilitate cryptanalysis attempts or provide attackers with valuable information about the deployment environment, such as the use of Azure Key Vault keys. This could aid in planning further attacks or social engineering campaigns. Organizations relying heavily on ConnectWise ScreenConnect for remote support or management, especially those integrating Azure Key Vault for secrets management, may face increased risk of information disclosure. While the vulnerability does not directly compromise system integrity or availability, it undermines confidentiality principles and could erode trust in remote management solutions. Given the remote and unauthenticated nature of the exposure, attackers could scan for vulnerable endpoints at scale. European entities in regulated sectors (finance, healthcare, critical infrastructure) that mandate strict data confidentiality controls may find this vulnerability particularly concerning. Failure to patch could also lead to compliance issues under GDPR if sensitive configuration data is considered personal or organizational data. However, the absence of known exploits and the encrypted nature of the leaked data somewhat limit the immediate risk.

The definitive mitigation is to update the ConnectWise ScreenConnect Certificate Signing Extension to version 1.0.12 or later, which ensures that encrypted configuration values are handled exclusively on the server side and never transmitted to client components. Organizations should audit their ScreenConnect deployments to identify if the vulnerable Certificate Signing Extension versions are in use and prioritize patching accordingly. Additionally, network-level controls such as restricting access to ScreenConnect management interfaces to trusted IP ranges can reduce exposure to unauthenticated scanning. Monitoring and logging client-facing endpoints for unusual access patterns or repeated requests for configuration data can help detect exploitation attempts. Organizations should also review their Azure Key Vault usage and access policies to ensure keys are tightly controlled and rotated regularly. Implementing defense-in-depth by segregating remote management tools from critical infrastructure networks can limit the blast radius if exploitation occurs. Finally, security teams should stay informed about any emerging exploit techniques related to this vulnerability and be prepared to respond promptly.