CVE-2025-36527 is a high-severity SQL injection vulnerability affecting ManageEngine ADAudit Plus versions below 8511. The vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands (CWE-89), specifically when exporting reports. This flaw allows an attacker with at least low privileges (PR:L) and no user interaction (UI:N) to execute arbitrary SQL commands remotely over the network (AV:N). The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity severely (C:H/I:H), with a lower impact on availability (A:L). Exploiting this vulnerability could enable attackers to extract sensitive information from the ADAudit Plus database, modify audit logs or reports, and potentially escalate privileges or disrupt auditing processes. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the ease of exploitation combined with the critical nature of audit data makes this a significant threat. ADAudit Plus is widely used for monitoring and auditing Active Directory environments, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where audit integrity and security compliance are critical. The lack of a patch link suggests that remediation may require vendor intervention or upgrading to a fixed version (8511 or later).

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability is substantial. ADAudit Plus is commonly deployed in enterprises to monitor Active Directory changes, user activities, and compliance-related events. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive user and system data, tampering with audit trails, and undermining trust in security monitoring. This could result in regulatory non-compliance, especially under GDPR, where audit integrity and data protection are paramount. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to cover their tracks by altering logs or to gain footholds for further lateral movement within networks. The potential for data breaches and operational disruption poses a high risk to organizations in finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure sectors across Europe.

Organizations should immediately verify their ADAudit Plus version and upgrade to version 8511 or later where this vulnerability is fixed. Until patched, restrict network access to ADAudit Plus interfaces to trusted administrators only, ideally via VPN or secure management networks. Implement strict role-based access controls to limit privileges required to export reports. Monitor audit logs for unusual export activities or SQL errors that could indicate exploitation attempts. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with SQL injection detection rules to provide an additional layer of defense. Regularly review and harden database permissions used by ADAudit Plus to minimize potential damage from SQL injection. Engage with ManageEngine support for any available interim patches or workarounds. Finally, incorporate this vulnerability into incident response plans to quickly detect and respond to exploitation attempts.