CVE-2025-29992 is a vulnerability affecting Mahara, an open-source ePortfolio and social networking web application widely used in educational institutions for portfolio management and collaboration. The vulnerability exists in versions prior to 24.04.9. Specifically, when the database server becomes unreachable—due to being temporarily down, overloaded, or otherwise inaccessible—Mahara inadvertently exposes sensitive database connection information. This exposure likely occurs through error messages or debug output that reveal credentials or connection strings. Such information disclosure can aid attackers in gaining unauthorized access to the backend database, potentially leading to further compromise of stored data, including user information, portfolios, and system configurations. The vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction to trigger, as it is tied to the application's error handling during database outages. No CVSS score has been assigned yet, and there are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication. However, the risk lies in the potential for attackers to leverage this information leak to escalate attacks against the affected systems.

For European organizations, particularly educational institutions and other entities using Mahara for portfolio and collaboration management, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to confidentiality and integrity. Exposure of database connection details can lead to unauthorized database access, data breaches involving personal and academic records, and potential manipulation or deletion of critical data. This could result in reputational damage, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR violations), and operational disruptions. Since Mahara is often deployed in academic environments across Europe, the impact could be widespread, affecting students, faculty, and administrative staff. Additionally, the exposure of backend credentials could facilitate lateral movement within networks, increasing the scope of compromise.

Organizations should promptly upgrade Mahara installations to version 24.04.9 or later, where this vulnerability has been addressed. Until patching is possible, administrators should implement strict error handling configurations to prevent detailed error messages from being displayed to end users, especially those containing sensitive information. Web server and application logs should be monitored for unusual access patterns or error occurrences related to database connectivity. Network segmentation and database access controls should be enforced to limit exposure if credentials are leaked. Additionally, consider implementing application-level monitoring to detect and alert on database connection failures and anomalous activities. Regular security audits and penetration testing focused on error handling and information leakage should be conducted to identify similar issues proactively.