CVE-2025-47941 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability affecting TYPO3, an open-source PHP-based web content management system widely used for building and managing websites. The vulnerability exists in TYPO3 versions 12.x prior to 12.4.31 LTS and 13.x prior to 13.4.12 LTS. It specifically targets the multifactor authentication (MFA) mechanism during backend login. The issue arises because the MFA dialog can be bypassed due to insufficient enforcement of access restrictions on all backend routes. In other words, after a valid backend user successfully authenticates with their credentials, an attacker can circumvent the MFA step by exploiting alternate paths or channels that do not properly enforce MFA requirements. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-288, which relates to authentication bypass using alternate paths or channels. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.2, indicating a high severity level, with metrics showing network attack vector, low attack complexity, high privileges required, no user interaction, unchanged scope, and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although exploitation requires valid backend credentials, the ability to bypass MFA significantly weakens the security posture of TYPO3 installations, potentially allowing attackers to gain unauthorized administrative access and perform malicious actions such as data theft, website defacement, or further lateral movement within the network. No known exploits are reported in the wild yet, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and patched in the specified versions. Organizations running affected TYPO3 versions should prioritize upgrading to 12.4.31 LTS or 13.4.12 LTS to remediate this issue.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-47941 can be substantial, especially for those relying on TYPO3 for critical web infrastructure, including government portals, educational institutions, and enterprises. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized administrative access to backend systems, resulting in data breaches involving sensitive personal data protected under GDPR, website defacement harming brand reputation, and potential disruption of services. Given TYPO3's popularity in Europe, particularly in Germany and surrounding countries, the risk is elevated. Attackers bypassing MFA reduce the effectiveness of a key security control, increasing the likelihood of successful attacks even when strong authentication policies are in place. This could facilitate further attacks such as injecting malicious code, stealing credentials, or pivoting to other internal systems. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts mean that compromised systems could lead to significant operational and compliance consequences for European organizations.

Beyond the essential step of updating TYPO3 to versions 12.4.31 LTS or 13.4.12 LTS, European organizations should implement several additional mitigations: 1) Conduct a thorough audit of backend access logs to detect any suspicious login patterns or attempts to bypass MFA. 2) Restrict backend access to trusted IP ranges or VPNs to reduce exposure to external attackers. 3) Enforce strong password policies and consider integrating additional layers of security such as hardware tokens or adaptive authentication. 4) Regularly review and minimize the number of backend users with administrative privileges to reduce the attack surface. 5) Implement web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules designed to detect and block unusual backend route access patterns. 6) Monitor for updates and advisories from TYPO3 and related security communities to respond promptly to any emerging threats or exploit techniques. 7) Conduct penetration testing focusing on authentication mechanisms to identify any residual weaknesses. These measures, combined with patching, will strengthen the overall security posture against this vulnerability.