CVE-2025-48044 is an Incorrect Authorization vulnerability classified under CWE-863 found in the ash-project's ash framework, specifically affecting versions from 3.6.3 up to but not including 3.7.1. The vulnerability resides in the policy enforcement logic within the program files lib/ash/policy/policy.ex and the Elixir module 'Elixir.Ash.Policy.Policy', particularly the expression/2 function. This flaw allows an attacker with low privileges (PR:L) to bypass authentication mechanisms without any user interaction (UI:N), remotely over the network (AV:N). The vulnerability impacts confidentiality and integrity at a high level (VC:H, VI:H), enabling unauthorized access to protected resources or operations. The vulnerability does not require prior authentication tokens or user interaction, making it easier to exploit. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 8.6, indicating a high severity threat. No known exploits have been reported in the wild yet, but the vulnerability's nature suggests that exploitation could lead to significant unauthorized access or privilege escalation within applications using the affected ash versions. The ash framework is used in Elixir-based applications for defining policies and access control, so this vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assumptions of such applications. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on October 17, 2025, with no patches or mitigations other than upgrading to version 3.7.1 or later.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-48044 can be substantial, especially for those developing or deploying applications using the ash framework in Elixir. The vulnerability allows attackers to bypass authorization controls, potentially gaining unauthorized access to sensitive data or critical system functions. This can lead to data breaches, unauthorized data modification, or disruption of business processes. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure that rely on ash for policy enforcement are particularly at risk. The high confidentiality and integrity impact means that sensitive personal data protected under GDPR could be exposed or altered, leading to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. The ease of exploitation without user interaction or prior authentication increases the urgency for remediation. Additionally, the lack of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense before active attacks emerge. However, the widespread use of Elixir and ash in modern web services and APIs across Europe means that many organizations could be affected if they have not updated to the patched version.

The primary mitigation is to upgrade all affected instances of the ash framework to version 3.7.1 or later, where the authorization bypass vulnerability has been fixed. Organizations should audit their software dependencies to identify any usage of ash versions 3.6.3 up to 3.7.0 and plan immediate upgrades. In the absence of patches, temporary mitigations include implementing additional authorization checks outside the ash policy layer, such as at the application or API gateway level, to enforce strict access controls. Conduct thorough code reviews focusing on policy enforcement logic to identify potential bypasses. Employ runtime application self-protection (RASP) or web application firewalls (WAF) to monitor and block suspicious access patterns targeting policy expressions. Increase logging and monitoring around authentication and authorization events to detect anomalous access attempts. Finally, ensure that development and security teams are aware of this vulnerability and incorporate secure coding practices to prevent similar authorization flaws in custom policies.