CVE-2025-46574 is an information disclosure vulnerability identified in ZTE's GoldenDB database product, specifically affecting versions 6.1.03, 7.2.01.01, and Lite7.2.01.01. The root cause of the vulnerability is improper input validation (CWE-20), which allows attackers to manipulate input parameters in a way that triggers error messages revealing sensitive system information. These error messages may contain details such as database schema, configuration settings, or other internal system data that should remain confidential. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network (AV:N) but requires high attack complexity (AC:H) and privileges (PR:H), with no user interaction needed (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is limited to the vulnerable component. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 4.1, indicating a medium severity level, with impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability rated as low (C:L/I:L/A:L). Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a risk of information leakage that could be leveraged in subsequent attacks such as targeted exploitation or privilege escalation. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for affected organizations to implement compensating controls. Given that GoldenDB is a database product, exposure of sensitive internal information can undermine the security posture of applications relying on it, potentially leading to data breaches or facilitating further exploitation by attackers.

For European organizations using ZTE GoldenDB, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive database information, which may include schema details, configuration parameters, or other internal data. Such leakage can aid attackers in crafting more effective attacks, including SQL injection, privilege escalation, or lateral movement within the network. Although the direct impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is rated low, the indirect consequences could be significant, especially for organizations handling sensitive or regulated data such as financial institutions, healthcare providers, or critical infrastructure operators. The requirement for high privileges to exploit the vulnerability somewhat limits the risk to insiders or attackers who have already gained partial access. However, in environments where privilege boundaries are weak or where administrative credentials are shared or poorly managed, the risk increases. The absence of known exploits in the wild reduces immediate urgency but does not eliminate the threat, as attackers may develop exploits once the vulnerability details become widely known. Overall, the vulnerability could undermine trust in affected systems and lead to compliance issues under European data protection regulations if sensitive data is exposed.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting access to GoldenDB instances to trusted administrators only, enforcing strict network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure. 2. Implement robust privilege management policies to ensure that only necessary personnel have high-level privileges required to exploit this vulnerability. 3. Monitor database error logs and network traffic for unusual or repeated error message patterns that could indicate attempted exploitation. 4. Apply input validation and sanitization at the application layer interacting with GoldenDB to reduce the risk of triggering exploitable error conditions. 5. Engage with ZTE for timely patches or updates addressing this vulnerability; if unavailable, consider temporary workarounds such as disabling verbose error messages or customizing error handling to avoid leaking sensitive information. 6. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on database components to identify and remediate similar issues proactively. 7. Educate administrators and developers about the risks of improper input validation and secure coding practices to prevent future vulnerabilities.