CVE-2025-25009 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79, found in Elastic Kibana versions 7.0.0, 8.14.0, 8.19.0, 9.0.0, and 9.1.0. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of user-supplied input during web page generation, specifically when handling case file uploads. This flaw allows an attacker with limited privileges (requiring some level of authentication) to upload malicious scripts that are stored and later executed in the context of other users viewing the affected pages. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.7 reflects a high severity, with an attack vector of network (remote), low attack complexity, requiring privileges but user interaction, and impacting confidentiality and integrity with a scope change. Exploitation could lead to theft of sensitive data, session hijacking, or unauthorized actions performed on behalf of legitimate users. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's presence in widely used Kibana versions poses a significant risk. Kibana is a popular open-source analytics and visualization platform used extensively in enterprise environments for monitoring and analyzing large datasets, often integrated with Elasticsearch. The vulnerability's exploitation could undermine trust in data integrity and confidentiality, impacting operational security and compliance. The lack of available patches at the time of publication necessitates immediate risk mitigation through configuration hardening and monitoring.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-25009 can be substantial. Kibana is widely used across sectors such as finance, telecommunications, government, and critical infrastructure for data visualization and operational intelligence. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data, including personally identifiable information (PII), intellectual property, and operational metrics. Attackers could leverage the XSS vulnerability to perform session hijacking, execute arbitrary actions within Kibana dashboards, or pivot to other internal systems, potentially disrupting business operations. Given the scope change indicated in the CVSS vector, the vulnerability could affect multiple users and systems beyond the initially compromised account. This is particularly critical for organizations subject to GDPR and other data protection regulations, as data breaches could result in regulatory penalties and reputational damage. Additionally, the requirement for user interaction and privileges means insider threats or compromised credentials could facilitate exploitation. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the high severity demands urgent attention to prevent future attacks.

1. Monitor Elastic's official channels for patches and apply them immediately upon release to affected Kibana versions. 2. Until patches are available, restrict file upload permissions to trusted users only and limit the types of files accepted to reduce attack surface. 3. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on all user inputs, especially file metadata and case file contents. 4. Deploy Content Security Policies (CSP) to restrict execution of unauthorized scripts within Kibana interfaces. 5. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focusing on web application vulnerabilities in Kibana deployments. 6. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce risk from compromised credentials. 7. Monitor logs and user activity for unusual behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. 8. Educate users about the risks of interacting with untrusted content within Kibana dashboards. 9. Consider network segmentation to isolate Kibana instances and limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 10. Review and harden Kibana configuration settings to minimize exposure of sensitive data and administrative functions.