CVE-2025-32978: Missing Authentication
Source CVE Database V5
Not known to be exploited · CVSS 7.5 High · fixed in 14.1.101 : patch affected systems soon.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 09:08 UTC
- EPSS
- 0.8% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 59% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
- Patch
- Available – fixed in 14.1.101, 14.0.341, 13.2.183 +2
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 24 Jun 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponised: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
Organizations should immediately verify their Quest KACE SMA version and apply the appropriate patches: 13.0.385 or later for 13.0.x, 13.1.81 or later for 13.1.x, 13.2.183 or later for 13.2.x, 14.0.341 (Patch 5) or later for 14.0.x, and 14.1.101 (Patch 4) or later for 14.1.x. If you cannot patch yet, restrict network access to the license renewal web interface using firewall rules or network segmentation to limit exposure to trusted administrators only. Monitor appliance logs for unusual license change attempts and implement alerting for unauthorized access patterns. Review and tighten access controls on management interfaces and consider multi-factor authentication for administrative functions where possible. Regularly audit license status and system health to detect early signs of tampering. Engage with Quest support for guidance on emergency mitigation steps and verify the integrity of licenses post-patch. Additionally, incorporate this vulnerability into incident response plans to ensure rapid containment if exploitation is detected.
Description
Quest KACE Systems Management Appliance (SMA) 13.0.x before 13.0.385, 13.1.x before 13.1.81, 13.2.x before 13.2.183, 14.0.x before 14.0.341 (Patch 5), and 14.1.x before 14.1.101 (Patch 4) allows unauthenticated users to replace system licenses through a web interface intended for license renewal. Attackers can exploit this to replace valid licenses with expired or trial licenses, causing denial of service.
References
- support.quest.com/kb/4379499/quest-response-to-kace-sma-vulnerabilities-cve-2025-32975-cve-2025-32976-cve-2025-32977-cve-2025-32978 (opens in a new tab)
- seralys.com/research/CVE-2025-32978.txt (opens in a new tab)
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jun/25 (opens in a new tab)
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2025/Jun/25 (opens in a new tab)