CVE-2025-2746 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability identified in Kentico Xperience, a widely used web content management and digital experience platform. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of digest authentication credentials within the Staging Sync Server component. Specifically, the issue involves the processing of empty SHA1 usernames during digest authentication, which allows an attacker to bypass authentication controls entirely. This bypass enables unauthorized access to administrative functions and objects within the Kentico Xperience environment. Since the vulnerability affects versions through 13.0.172, any unpatched installations of Kentico Xperience up to this version are at risk. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-288, which pertains to authentication bypass using an alternate path or channel. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 reflects the critical nature of this flaw, indicating that it can be exploited remotely without any privileges or user interaction, resulting in full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the severity and ease of exploitation make it a high priority for remediation. The lack of a patch link in the provided data suggests that organizations should monitor vendor advisories closely for updates or mitigations. Given the administrative control gained through this vulnerability, attackers could manipulate website content, steal sensitive data, deploy malware, or disrupt services, severely impacting business operations and reputation.

For European organizations using Kentico Xperience, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Unauthorized administrative access could lead to data breaches involving personal data protected under GDPR, resulting in regulatory penalties and loss of customer trust. The ability to control administrative objects means attackers could alter website content, inject malicious code, or disrupt digital services, affecting customer engagement and business continuity. Organizations in sectors such as e-commerce, government, education, and media that rely on Kentico for their web presence are particularly vulnerable. The remote, unauthenticated nature of the exploit increases the likelihood of attacks originating from outside the organization, complicating detection and response efforts. Additionally, the potential for widespread impact is heightened by the platform’s use across multiple European countries, making coordinated attacks or automated exploitation campaigns feasible. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the critical severity demands immediate attention to prevent exploitation.

European organizations should implement the following specific mitigation steps: 1) Immediately inventory all Kentico Xperience installations and identify versions up to 13.0.172. 2) Monitor Kentico’s official channels for security patches addressing CVE-2025-2746 and apply them as soon as they become available. 3) Until patches are released, restrict network access to the Staging Sync Server component by implementing firewall rules or network segmentation to limit exposure to trusted internal IPs only. 4) Disable or restrict the use of digest authentication on the Staging Sync Server if possible, or enforce strong authentication mechanisms such as multi-factor authentication for administrative access. 5) Conduct thorough audits of administrative accounts and logs to detect any unauthorized access attempts or suspicious activity. 6) Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block anomalous authentication requests that may exploit empty SHA1 username handling. 7) Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability to enhance monitoring and incident response readiness. 8) Prepare incident response plans specifically addressing potential exploitation scenarios involving administrative control compromise.