CVE-2025-22175 is an improper authorization vulnerability identified in Atlassian Jira Align, a tool widely used for agile project management and strategic planning. The vulnerability allows a user with low privileges to access endpoints and perform actions beyond their authorization scope, such as modifying steps in another user's private checklist. This indicates a failure in enforcing proper access control checks (CWE-285) within the application. The affected versions include 11.14.0 and all subsequent releases up to at least 11.16.0. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 5.3, reflecting a medium severity level, with attack vector being network-based, low attack complexity, no user interaction required, and requiring low privileges. The impact primarily affects data integrity and confidentiality, as unauthorized users can alter private data and potentially glean sensitive information. No known exploits have been reported in the wild, but the vulnerability could be leveraged by malicious insiders or external attackers who have gained low-level access. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting necessitates immediate attention to user access policies and monitoring. This vulnerability highlights the importance of rigorous authorization checks in multi-tenant or collaborative software environments to prevent privilege escalation and data tampering.

For European organizations, the vulnerability poses a risk to the confidentiality and integrity of project management data within Jira Align. Unauthorized modification of private checklists can disrupt workflows, cause data inconsistencies, and potentially expose sensitive strategic information. Organizations in sectors such as finance, government, and critical infrastructure that rely on Jira Align for coordination and planning may face operational risks and compliance issues if unauthorized changes go undetected. While availability is not directly impacted, the trustworthiness of data and user accountability can be compromised. The medium severity suggests moderate risk, but the ease of exploitation by low-privilege users increases the threat surface, especially in environments with many users and complex permission structures. European entities with extensive use of Atlassian products should consider this vulnerability a priority to avoid potential insider threats or lateral movement by attackers.

1. Immediately review and tighten user permissions within Jira Align to ensure the principle of least privilege is enforced, limiting access to sensitive endpoints and data. 2. Monitor audit logs and user activity for unusual modifications to private checklists or other sensitive data, enabling early detection of exploitation attempts. 3. Implement network segmentation and access controls to restrict Jira Align access to trusted users and devices. 4. Coordinate with Atlassian to obtain and apply security patches or updates as soon as they become available. 5. Conduct internal security assessments and penetration tests focusing on authorization controls within Jira Align deployments. 6. Educate users and administrators about the risks of improper authorization and encourage reporting of suspicious behavior. 7. Consider additional compensating controls such as multi-factor authentication and session management enhancements to reduce the risk of unauthorized access. 8. Maintain an incident response plan tailored to handle potential misuse of project management tools.