CVE-2025-2746 is an authentication bypass vulnerability identified in Kentico Xperience, a widely used digital experience platform. The vulnerability stems from the Staging Sync Server's flawed password handling mechanism during digest authentication, specifically when processing empty SHA1 usernames. Digest authentication typically requires a username and password hash; however, this vulnerability allows an attacker to exploit the handling of empty usernames, effectively bypassing the authentication process. This bypass grants unauthorized administrative access, enabling attackers to manipulate administrative objects, potentially altering content, configurations, or user permissions. The vulnerability affects all versions of Kentico Xperience up to and including 13.0.172. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 9.8, reflecting its critical nature, with attack vector being network-based (AV:N), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and full impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although no public exploits are currently known, the vulnerability's characteristics suggest it could be exploited remotely with relative ease. The lack of authentication and user interaction requirements increases the risk of automated or widespread attacks. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on March 24, 2025, and no official patches were listed at the time of this report, emphasizing the urgency for vendor remediation and interim protective measures.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-2746 is substantial. Kentico Xperience is commonly used by enterprises, government agencies, and media companies for managing digital content and customer experiences. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized administrative access, allowing attackers to modify or delete critical content, disrupt services, or implant malicious code. This threatens the confidentiality of sensitive data, the integrity of published content, and the availability of digital services. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, public administration, and media are particularly vulnerable due to the reliance on Kentico for public-facing and internal platforms. The potential for widespread disruption and reputational damage is high, especially if attackers leverage the vulnerability to conduct further lateral movement or data exfiltration. Additionally, the remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit increases the likelihood of automated attacks targeting exposed instances across Europe.

Until an official patch is released, European organizations should implement several specific mitigations: 1) Restrict network access to the Staging Sync Server component by applying strict firewall rules and IP whitelisting to limit exposure only to trusted internal systems. 2) Disable or isolate the Staging Sync Server if it is not essential for current operations to reduce the attack surface. 3) Monitor authentication logs for unusual patterns, especially attempts involving empty usernames or abnormal digest authentication requests. 4) Employ Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious authentication bypass attempts targeting the digest authentication mechanism. 5) Conduct thorough audits of administrative accounts and permissions to identify any unauthorized changes. 6) Prepare for rapid deployment of vendor patches by maintaining up-to-date asset inventories and patch management processes. 7) Educate IT and security teams about this specific vulnerability to enhance detection and response capabilities.