CVE-2025-2598 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-497, which involves the exposure of sensitive system information to an unauthorized control sphere. Specifically, in AWS Cloud Development Kit Command Line Interface (AWS CDK CLI) version 2.172.0, when the CLI is used with a credential plugin that returns an 'expiration' property along with AWS credentials, the CLI erroneously prints these credentials to the console output. This behavior results in sensitive AWS credentials being exposed in plaintext in the console, which could be captured by unauthorized users if the console output is logged, monitored, or accessed by others. The vulnerability requires the attacker to have local access with limited privileges (PR:L) and partial authentication (AT:P), but no user interaction is needed (UI:N). The CVSS 4.0 score of 5.7 reflects a medium severity, primarily due to the local attack vector and the requirement for some privileges. The impact is high on confidentiality (VC:H) since credentials are exposed, but there is no impact on integrity or availability. AWS has released a fix in version 2.178.2 and recommends upgrading to this or later versions. Additionally, any forked or derivative versions of the AWS CDK CLI should be patched accordingly to prevent this exposure. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time, but the vulnerability poses a risk if exploited in environments where console outputs are accessible to unauthorized users.

For European organizations, the exposure of AWS credentials via console output can lead to unauthorized access to AWS resources, potentially resulting in data breaches, resource misuse, or lateral movement within cloud environments. Organizations heavily reliant on AWS CDK for infrastructure as code and cloud resource provisioning are at particular risk. Credential leakage can compromise the confidentiality of cloud environments, enabling attackers to escalate privileges or exfiltrate sensitive data. The medium severity indicates a moderate risk, but the impact can be significant if credentials are captured and abused. Given the widespread adoption of AWS services across Europe, especially in countries with strong cloud infrastructure sectors, this vulnerability could affect critical business operations and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR if sensitive data is exposed or accessed unlawfully.

European organizations should immediately upgrade AWS CDK CLI installations to version 2.178.2 or later to remediate this vulnerability. They should audit all environments where AWS CDK CLI is used, including CI/CD pipelines, developer workstations, and build servers, to ensure no outdated versions remain in use. Any forked or customized versions of the AWS CDK CLI must be reviewed and patched to incorporate the fix. Organizations should also review logging and monitoring configurations to ensure console outputs containing sensitive credentials are not stored or accessible to unauthorized personnel. Implementing strict access controls on developer and build environments can reduce the risk of unauthorized local access. Additionally, rotating AWS credentials that may have been exposed prior to patching is recommended. Finally, educating developers and DevOps teams about secure handling of credentials and the risks of exposing them in logs or console outputs will help prevent similar issues.