CVE-2025-40700 is a reflected Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the Governalia product by IDI Eikon. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically in the 'q' parameter of the '/search' URL endpoint. When an attacker crafts a malicious URL containing executable JavaScript within this parameter and convinces a victim to visit it, the injected script executes in the victim's browser context. This can lead to theft of sensitive information such as session cookies, enabling session hijacking, or allow the attacker to perform actions on behalf of the user without their consent. The vulnerability does not require any authentication or privileges and can be exploited remotely over the network, with only user interaction (clicking the malicious link) needed. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates low attack complexity and no user privileges required, but user interaction is necessary. The vulnerability has been assigned a medium severity score of 5.1. As of the published date, no patches or known exploits in the wild have been reported. The root cause is a failure to properly sanitize or encode user-supplied input before reflecting it in the web page output, a classic CWE-79 issue. This vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices such as input validation, output encoding, and Content Security Policy (CSP) enforcement to mitigate XSS risks.

For European organizations using IDI Eikon Governalia, this vulnerability poses a risk of client-side attacks that can compromise user sessions and data confidentiality. Attackers exploiting this flaw could hijack user sessions, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information or functionality within the application. This is particularly concerning for organizations handling sensitive or regulated data, such as financial institutions, government agencies, or healthcare providers. The reflected XSS can also be used as a vector for phishing or social engineering attacks, increasing the risk of broader compromise. Since the vulnerability requires user interaction, the impact depends on the ability of attackers to lure users into clicking malicious links, which can be facilitated via email or other communication channels. The medium severity rating suggests moderate risk, but the potential for data leakage and unauthorized actions could have significant reputational and regulatory consequences under GDPR and other European data protection laws.

To mitigate CVE-2025-40700, organizations should implement strict input validation and output encoding on the 'q' parameter in the '/search' endpoint to neutralize any malicious scripts before rendering. Employing context-aware HTML encoding or using established web frameworks that automatically escape user input can prevent script injection. Implementing a robust Content Security Policy (CSP) can limit the impact of any injected scripts by restricting script sources and execution contexts. Additionally, educating users to recognize and avoid clicking suspicious or unsolicited links can reduce exploitation likelihood. Monitoring web application logs for unusual query parameter patterns may help detect exploitation attempts. Since no patches are currently available, organizations should consider temporary workarounds such as disabling or restricting the vulnerable search functionality or applying web application firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block malicious payloads targeting the 'q' parameter. Coordinating with IDI Eikon for timely patch releases and applying updates promptly once available is critical.