CVE-2025-48795 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting Apache CXF, an open-source services framework widely used for building and developing web services. The vulnerability arises from improper handling of large stream-based messages that Apache CXF temporarily stores as files on the local filesystem. Due to a bug, when these temporary files are processed for logging, the entire file content is read into memory and logged in plaintext, regardless of any encryption configuration applied to the temporary files. This behavior can lead to two main security issues: first, an attacker can trigger a denial of service (DoS) by sending large messages that cause the system to exhaust available memory, resulting in an out-of-memory exception and potential service disruption. Second, sensitive information, including credentials that were intended to be encrypted on disk, may be exposed in application logs in unencrypted form, increasing the risk of information disclosure. The vulnerability affects multiple versions of Apache CXF, specifically 3.5.10, 3.6.5, 4.0.6, and 4.1.0. The Apache Software Foundation has addressed this issue in versions 3.5.11, 3.6.6, 4.0.7, and 4.1.1. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.6, indicating a medium severity with network attack vector, high attack complexity, no privileges required, no user interaction, and impacts on confidentiality, integrity, and availability at a low level. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a tangible risk primarily to availability and confidentiality. Organizations using Apache CXF in their web services infrastructure may experience service outages if attackers exploit the uncontrolled resource consumption to cause out-of-memory conditions. This can disrupt critical business operations, especially in sectors relying heavily on web services such as finance, healthcare, and government. Additionally, the inadvertent logging of sensitive credentials in plaintext can lead to credential leakage if logs are accessed by unauthorized personnel or attackers, potentially facilitating further compromise. Given the widespread use of Apache CXF in enterprise environments across Europe, the vulnerability could affect a broad range of organizations, particularly those handling sensitive or regulated data. The medium severity suggests that while exploitation is not trivial, the impact on confidentiality and availability warrants prompt attention to prevent operational and data security risks.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading Apache CXF to the fixed versions 3.5.11, 3.6.6, 4.0.7, or 4.1.1 as soon as possible to remediate this vulnerability. In addition to patching, organizations should audit their logging configurations to ensure that sensitive data is not inadvertently logged, and implement strict access controls on log files to limit exposure. Monitoring memory usage and setting resource limits for services running Apache CXF can help detect and mitigate potential DoS attempts. Where upgrading is not immediately feasible, organizations can consider disabling or restricting logging of large message contents temporarily and review encryption settings for temporary files to confirm they are correctly applied. Regularly reviewing and sanitizing logs to remove sensitive information and employing centralized log management with encryption and access controls will further reduce risk. Finally, organizations should conduct security awareness and incident response exercises to prepare for potential exploitation scenarios.