CVE-2025-29992 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting Mahara, an open-source ePortfolio and social networking web application widely used in educational institutions. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to 24.04.9. When the database server becomes unreachable—due to being temporarily down, overloaded, or otherwise inaccessible—Mahara improperly exposes sensitive database connection information. This exposure occurs because error handling routines reveal detailed connection parameters instead of generic error messages. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200 (Information Exposure), indicating that sensitive information is leaked to unauthorized parties. According to the CVSS 3.1 vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N), the vulnerability can be exploited remotely over the network without any authentication or user interaction, and it results in a complete compromise of confidentiality of the database connection details. However, it does not impact integrity or availability directly. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the ease of exploitation and the sensitivity of the leaked information make this a significant risk. Attackers gaining database connection details could attempt further attacks such as database compromise, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within the network. The absence of a patch link suggests that a fix may be pending or that users must upgrade to version 24.04.9 or later to remediate the issue.

For European organizations, especially educational institutions and other entities using Mahara for ePortfolio management, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk. Exposure of database connection information can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive student and staff data, violating data protection regulations such as GDPR. The confidentiality breach could result in identity theft, privacy violations, and reputational damage. Moreover, attackers could leverage the leaked credentials to escalate attacks, potentially compromising other connected systems. Given the critical nature of educational data and the strict regulatory environment in Europe, exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to significant legal and financial consequences. The impact extends beyond data loss to undermining trust in digital education platforms, which are increasingly vital in European academic ecosystems.

Organizations should prioritize upgrading Mahara installations to version 24.04.9 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. Until upgrades are applied, administrators should implement strict network segmentation to restrict database server access only to trusted hosts and services, minimizing exposure if connection details are leaked. Additionally, database credentials should be rotated regularly, and strong authentication mechanisms enforced on database servers to reduce the risk of unauthorized access. Monitoring and alerting for unusual database access patterns can help detect exploitation attempts early. Application-level error handling should be reviewed and customized to avoid detailed error disclosures, replacing them with generic messages. Employing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block suspicious requests targeting error conditions can provide an additional layer of defense. Finally, organizations should conduct security awareness training for IT staff to recognize and respond to such vulnerabilities promptly.