CVE-2025-20269 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Cisco Evolved Programmable Network Manager (EPNM) and Cisco Prime Infrastructure, specifically in their web-based management interfaces. The vulnerability arises from insufficient input validation in handling certain HTTP requests, which allows an authenticated attacker with low privileges to perform an external control of file name or path. By crafting specific HTTP requests, the attacker can exploit this flaw to retrieve arbitrary files from the underlying file system of the affected device. This unauthorized file access can lead to exposure of sensitive information stored on the device, potentially including configuration files, credentials, or other critical data. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Cisco EPNM ranging from 7.0.0 through 8.1.0, indicating a broad impact across recent releases. Exploitation does not require user interaction but does require the attacker to have some level of authentication, albeit low-privileged. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.5 reflects a medium severity, primarily due to the high confidentiality impact but no impact on integrity or availability. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the presence of this vulnerability in critical network management software makes it a significant concern for organizations relying on Cisco EPNM for network operations management.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality of sensitive network management data. Cisco EPNM is widely used by large enterprises and telecommunications providers to manage complex network infrastructures. Unauthorized access to configuration files or credentials could facilitate further attacks, including lateral movement within the network or disruption of network services through indirect means. Given the critical role of network management systems, exposure of sensitive files could undermine operational security and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR. The medium severity score suggests that while the vulnerability does not directly impact system integrity or availability, the confidentiality breach alone could have serious repercussions, especially for organizations managing critical infrastructure or handling sensitive customer data. The requirement for authentication limits the attack surface but does not eliminate risk, as low-privileged credentials could be obtained through phishing or insider threats. Therefore, European entities using affected Cisco EPNM versions should consider this vulnerability a priority for remediation to prevent potential data breaches and maintain regulatory compliance.

1. Immediate application of vendor patches or updates once available is the most effective mitigation. Since no patch links are currently provided, organizations should monitor Cisco advisories closely and prioritize updates to the latest secure versions. 2. Restrict access to the Cisco EPNM web management interface to trusted networks and users only, using network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure. 3. Implement strong authentication mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), to reduce the risk of credential compromise for low-privileged accounts. 4. Conduct regular audits of user accounts and permissions within Cisco EPNM to ensure least privilege principles are enforced. 5. Monitor network traffic and logs for unusual HTTP requests targeting the management interface that could indicate exploitation attempts. 6. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious path traversal or file retrieval attempts. 7. Educate administrators and users on phishing and social engineering risks to reduce the likelihood of credential theft. 8. Consider deploying intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) tuned to detect exploitation patterns related to this vulnerability.