CVE-2025-46578 is a medium-severity SQL injection vulnerability affecting multiple interfaces of ZTE's GoldenDB database product, specifically versions 6.1.03, 7.2.01.01, and Lite7.2.01.01. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of special elements used in SQL commands (CWE-89), allowing an attacker with network access and low privileges to inject malicious SQL commands. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 6.5, reflecting a network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), with high confidentiality impact (C:H), but no impact on integrity (I:N) or availability (A:N). Exploiting this vulnerability enables an attacker to extract sensitive database information by injecting crafted SQL queries through vulnerable interfaces. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to confidentiality of data stored in GoldenDB instances. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation. GoldenDB is a database product developed by ZTE, a major Chinese telecommunications and information technology company, and is likely deployed in telecommunications, government, and enterprise environments where ZTE products are used. The vulnerability's exploitation requires some level of authenticated access, which somewhat limits the attack surface but still presents a serious threat if credentials are compromised or insider threats exist. The vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability directly but can lead to sensitive data leakage, which may have downstream impacts on privacy and regulatory compliance.

For European organizations using ZTE GoldenDB, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive data, including personal data protected under GDPR, intellectual property, or confidential business information. Telecommunications providers, government agencies, and enterprises relying on GoldenDB for critical data storage could face data breaches resulting in reputational damage, regulatory fines, and operational disruptions. The requirement for low privileges and network access means that insider threats or compromised credentials could be leveraged to exploit this vulnerability. Given the high confidentiality impact, attackers could exfiltrate sensitive customer or operational data without detection. Although integrity and availability are not directly impacted, the breach of confidentiality alone can have severe consequences, including loss of trust and potential legal liabilities. The absence of known exploits in the wild suggests limited current exploitation, but the presence of a public CVE and medium severity score means attackers may develop exploits in the near future, increasing risk. Organizations in Europe with ZTE GoldenDB deployments should consider this vulnerability a significant threat to data confidentiality and prioritize remediation and monitoring accordingly.

1. Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting access to GoldenDB interfaces to trusted and authenticated users only, employing network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure. 2. Implement strict access controls and monitor for unusual database query patterns that could indicate SQL injection attempts. 3. Use application-layer input validation and parameterized queries where possible to reduce injection risk. 4. Since no patches are currently available, consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or database activity monitoring tools that can detect and block SQL injection attempts targeting GoldenDB. 5. Enforce strong credential management policies, including multi-factor authentication and regular credential audits, to reduce the risk of privilege abuse. 6. Conduct thorough audits of database logs and network traffic for signs of exploitation attempts. 7. Engage with ZTE for updates on patch availability and apply official fixes promptly once released. 8. For critical environments, consider temporary migration or isolation of GoldenDB instances until patches are available. 9. Train security teams on this specific vulnerability to ensure rapid detection and response to potential exploitation attempts.