CVE-2025-45529 is a high-severity arbitrary file read vulnerability identified in the ReadTextAsynchronous function of SSCMS version 7.3.1. This vulnerability allows an attacker with at least low privileges (PR:L) to send a specially crafted GET request to the endpoint /cms/templates/templatesAssetsEditor and read arbitrary files on the affected system. The vulnerability falls under CWE-552, which relates to exposure of sensitive information to an unauthorized actor. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.1, indicating a high severity, with the vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N. This means the attack can be performed remotely over the network (AV:N) with low attack complexity (AC:L), requires some level of privileges (PR:L), does not require user interaction (UI:N), affects an unchanged scope (S:U), causes high impact on confidentiality (C:H), low impact on integrity (I:L), and no impact on availability (A:N). The vulnerability enables unauthorized disclosure of sensitive files, potentially including configuration files, credentials, or other critical data. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches or vendor advisories are referenced yet. The lack of authentication bypass suggests the attacker must have some level of access, but the low complexity and no user interaction requirements make exploitation feasible in environments where an attacker has limited privileges. The vulnerability is specific to SSCMS 7.3.1, a content management system, which is often used to manage web content and digital assets.

For European organizations using SSCMS 7.3.1, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to confidentiality of sensitive information stored on CMS servers. Attackers could leverage this flaw to access configuration files, database credentials, or other sensitive documents, potentially enabling further compromise or data leakage. This could lead to exposure of personal data protected under GDPR, resulting in regulatory penalties and reputational damage. The integrity impact is low, so direct modification of files is unlikely, but the information disclosure alone can facilitate subsequent attacks such as privilege escalation or lateral movement. Availability is not affected, so service disruption is not expected. Organizations in sectors with high reliance on CMS platforms for public-facing websites, such as government, finance, healthcare, and media, are particularly at risk. The requirement for low privileges means insider threats or attackers who have gained limited access could exploit this vulnerability to escalate their information access. Given the lack of known exploits, proactive mitigation is critical to prevent exploitation once public exploit code emerges.

European organizations should immediately audit their use of SSCMS and identify any instances of version 7.3.1. Until an official patch is released, organizations should implement strict access controls to limit the number of users with privileges sufficient to exploit this vulnerability. Network-level restrictions such as IP whitelisting or VPN-only access to the CMS management interfaces can reduce exposure. Web application firewalls (WAFs) should be configured to detect and block suspicious GET requests targeting /cms/templates/templatesAssetsEditor, especially those containing unusual query parameters or payloads. Monitoring and logging of access to this endpoint should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct internal penetration testing focused on this vulnerability to assess exposure. Once a patch or vendor advisory is available, prompt application of updates is essential. If patching is delayed, consider temporary disabling or restricting access to the vulnerable functionality if feasible. Finally, ensure that sensitive files are not unnecessarily stored in web-accessible directories and that file permissions follow the principle of least privilege.