CVE-2025-15422 is a vulnerability identified in EmpireSoft's EmpireCMS, specifically affecting version 8.0. The flaw resides in the function 'egetip' within the file 'e/class/connect.php', which is responsible for handling IP address processing. This vulnerability leads to a protection mechanism failure, meaning that the intended security controls designed to validate or restrict IP-related operations are bypassed or malfunction. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring any authentication or user interaction, making it accessible to unauthenticated attackers over the network. The CVSS 4.0 vector (AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:P) indicates that the attack vector is network-based with low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction needed, and partial impact on integrity only. The exploit allows an attacker to manipulate the IP address handling logic, potentially leading to unauthorized actions or bypassing security checks that rely on IP validation. Although the vendor was contacted early, no response or patch has been provided, and public exploit code has been published, increasing the likelihood of exploitation in the wild. The vulnerability does not directly affect confidentiality or availability but compromises the integrity of the system's protection mechanisms, which could be leveraged for further attacks or privilege escalation within the CMS environment.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-15422 can be significant, particularly for those relying on EmpireCMS 8.0 for public-facing websites or internal content management. The protection mechanism failure could allow attackers to bypass IP-based access controls, potentially enabling unauthorized access to administrative functions or sensitive content. This could lead to website defacement, data manipulation, or the introduction of malicious content, damaging organizational reputation and trust. In sectors such as government, healthcare, and finance, where data integrity is critical, such an exploit could disrupt operations or facilitate further attacks. The lack of vendor response and patches increases the risk exposure, especially as exploit code is publicly available. Additionally, attackers could use this vulnerability as a foothold for lateral movement within networks, escalating the threat to broader IT infrastructure. Organizations with limited monitoring or outdated CMS deployments are particularly vulnerable, and the impact could extend to compliance violations under regulations like GDPR if personal data integrity is compromised.

Given the absence of official patches, European organizations should implement several specific mitigations: 1) Conduct an immediate inventory to identify all EmpireCMS 8.0 instances and assess exposure, especially those accessible from the internet. 2) Restrict network access to CMS administration interfaces using IP whitelisting or VPNs to limit potential attackers. 3) Deploy Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block exploit attempts targeting the 'egetip' function or suspicious IP manipulation patterns. 4) Monitor logs for unusual IP-related activity or repeated access attempts to the vulnerable component. 5) Consider temporary disabling or isolating the IP Address Handler functionality if feasible without disrupting operations. 6) Plan for an upgrade or migration to a patched or alternative CMS solution once available. 7) Educate IT and security teams about the vulnerability and ensure incident response plans include this threat. 8) Engage with third-party security services for penetration testing and vulnerability scanning focused on EmpireCMS deployments. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice and address the specific nature of this vulnerability.