CVE-2025-31952 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting HCL Software's iAutomate product, specifically version 6.5.1. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-613, which refers to insufficient session expiration. In this case, session tokens issued by iAutomate do not expire automatically and remain valid indefinitely unless they are manually revoked by an administrator or user. This design flaw increases the risk that an attacker who gains access to a valid session token can maintain unauthorized access to the system for an extended period without the token being invalidated by normal session timeout mechanisms. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.1, indicating a high severity level. The vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:L) reveals that the attack can be performed remotely over the network (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L), requires low privileges (PR:L), and no user interaction (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), but the impact on confidentiality is high (C:H), with no impact on integrity (I:N) and low impact on availability (A:L). This means an attacker with low privileges can remotely exploit the vulnerability to gain prolonged unauthorized access to sensitive information without needing user interaction. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the nature of the vulnerability makes it a significant risk, especially in environments where session tokens are not manually revoked promptly. The lack of automatic session expiration undermines standard security practices that limit session lifetime to reduce the window of opportunity for attackers. This vulnerability could be leveraged in scenarios such as session hijacking or token theft, where an attacker reuses a valid token to access the system undetected for an extended period.

For European organizations using HCL iAutomate 6.5.1, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to confidentiality. Unauthorized actors who obtain session tokens—through phishing, insider threats, or other means—can maintain persistent access to the system without session expiration forcing re-authentication. This can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive operational data, intellectual property, or personally identifiable information (PII), potentially violating GDPR and other data protection regulations. The low complexity and remote exploitability increase the likelihood of exploitation, especially in environments with insufficient monitoring or token management. The vulnerability does not directly affect data integrity or system availability but compromises trust in session management and access controls. European organizations in sectors such as manufacturing automation, utilities, or critical infrastructure that rely on iAutomate for process automation could face operational risks if attackers leverage this vulnerability to conduct reconnaissance or lateral movement. Additionally, regulatory compliance risks arise from potential data breaches resulting from unauthorized access. The absence of known exploits in the wild currently reduces immediate risk but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits given the vulnerability's straightforward nature.

To mitigate CVE-2025-31952, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Immediately review and enforce strict session token revocation policies, ensuring that tokens are manually revoked promptly when no longer needed or when suspicious activity is detected. 2) Implement compensating controls such as network segmentation and strict access controls around iAutomate instances to limit exposure if tokens are compromised. 3) Enhance monitoring and logging of session token usage to detect anomalous or prolonged sessions that may indicate exploitation. 4) Where possible, integrate multi-factor authentication (MFA) to reduce the risk of token theft leading to unauthorized access. 5) Engage with HCL Software to obtain patches or updates addressing this vulnerability; if patches are unavailable, consider upgrading to a version that includes proper session expiration mechanisms. 6) Educate users and administrators on the risks of token reuse and the importance of session management hygiene. 7) Regularly audit active sessions and revoke any that appear stale or suspicious. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on operational controls tailored to the specific weakness of indefinite token validity.