CVE-2025-4049 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in SIGNUM-NET's FARA product, specifically affecting versions up to 5.0.80.34. The vulnerability arises from the use of hard-coded SQLite credentials that are identical across all vulnerable installations. This flaw falls under CWE-798, which pertains to the use of hard-coded credentials in software. Because the credentials are embedded in the application and not unique per installation, an attacker with local access can leverage these credentials to read and manipulate the locally stored SQLite database. The database likely contains sensitive operational data critical to the functioning of the FARA system. The CVSS 4.0 base score of 8.6 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with the attack vector being local (AV:L), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges or user interaction required (PR:N, UI:N), and high impact on all security properties (confidentiality, integrity, availability). The vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, but the attacker must have local access to the system. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no patches have been released yet. The vulnerability was reserved in April 2025 and published in July 2025 by CERT-PL. The absence of patches means that affected organizations must rely on compensating controls until an official fix is available.

For European organizations using SIGNUM-NET FARA, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. The ability to read and manipulate the local database can lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information, data tampering, and potential disruption of services relying on the integrity of the database. Given that the credentials are hard-coded and uniform, once an attacker obtains them, lateral movement within the environment could be facilitated if multiple installations are present. This could compromise operational continuity and data trustworthiness. The local attack vector implies that the attacker must have some level of access to the host system, which could be achieved through other means such as phishing, insider threat, or exploitation of other vulnerabilities. The impact is particularly critical for sectors where FARA is deployed in sensitive environments, such as critical infrastructure, government agencies, or industries handling confidential data. The lack of patches increases the urgency for organizations to implement immediate mitigations to prevent exploitation.

1. Restrict local access: Limit user and process permissions on systems running SIGNUM-NET FARA to trusted personnel only. Implement strict access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts. 2. Network segmentation: Isolate systems running FARA from general user networks to reduce the risk of an attacker gaining local access. 3. Application sandboxing: Run the FARA application in a restricted environment or container to limit the potential damage from database manipulation. 4. Monitor database integrity: Implement integrity checks and logging for the SQLite database to detect unauthorized changes promptly. 5. Credential obfuscation: Although the credentials are hard-coded, organizations can attempt to override or replace the default credentials by configuration if supported, or use file system encryption to protect the database files. 6. Incident response readiness: Prepare to respond quickly to any signs of compromise, including having backups of the database and system images to restore from. 7. Vendor engagement: Maintain close communication with SIGNUM-NET for updates and patches, and apply them immediately upon release. 8. Employ host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) to alert on suspicious local activity related to the FARA application or its database files.