CVE-2025-24989 is an improper access control vulnerability classified under CWE-284 affecting Microsoft Power Pages, a low-code platform for creating external-facing business websites. The flaw allows an attacker to bypass user registration controls, enabling privilege escalation over a network without requiring authentication or user interaction. This means an attacker can potentially gain elevated access rights that should be restricted, compromising the integrity of the system. The vulnerability was discovered and mitigated by Microsoft, who has already deployed fixes in their service and notified affected customers. The vulnerability carries a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2, indicating high severity, with the vector highlighting network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N). The impact primarily affects integrity (I:H) with limited confidentiality impact (C:L) and no availability impact (A:N). Although no known exploits have been reported in the wild, the potential for unauthorized privilege escalation makes this a critical issue for organizations using Power Pages. Customers have been advised to review their sites for signs of exploitation and perform cleanup as necessary. The lack of specific affected versions suggests the vulnerability may have been present in multiple or all versions prior to mitigation. This vulnerability underscores the importance of proper access control mechanisms in web-based platforms that handle user registrations and privilege management.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-24989 can be significant, especially for those leveraging Microsoft Power Pages to host customer-facing portals, partner access sites, or internal business applications. Unauthorized privilege escalation could allow attackers to manipulate site content, access sensitive data, or perform administrative actions, undermining data integrity and trust. This could lead to data breaches, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), reputational damage, and operational disruptions. Since Power Pages often integrate with other Microsoft services and enterprise systems, the compromise could cascade, affecting broader IT environments. The fact that exploitation requires no authentication or user interaction increases the risk of automated or remote attacks. European organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure that rely on Power Pages for digital services are particularly vulnerable. The mitigation already deployed by Microsoft reduces immediate risk, but organizations that have not followed remediation guidance remain exposed. The absence of known exploits in the wild is reassuring but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits targeting unpatched systems.

1. Ensure that all Microsoft Power Pages environments are updated with the latest patches and service updates provided by Microsoft to address CVE-2025-24989. 2. Conduct a thorough review of all Power Pages sites to identify any unauthorized changes or suspicious activity that could indicate exploitation of the registration control bypass. 3. Follow Microsoft's guidance on cleanup procedures to remove any unauthorized accounts or elevated privileges created through exploitation. 4. Implement strict access control policies and monitor user registration workflows to detect anomalies or bypass attempts. 5. Enable detailed logging and monitoring on Power Pages and associated backend systems to capture access and privilege escalation events. 6. Restrict network access to Power Pages management interfaces to trusted IP ranges where possible. 7. Educate administrators and developers on secure configuration practices for Power Pages to prevent similar vulnerabilities. 8. Integrate Power Pages security posture into broader organizational vulnerability management and incident response processes. 9. Regularly audit third-party integrations and customizations in Power Pages that might affect access control. 10. Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with rules tuned to detect and block suspicious registration or privilege escalation attempts.