CVE-2025-49349 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-862 (Missing Authorization) found in Reuters News Agency's Reuters Direct product, versions up to 3.0.0. This vulnerability stems from incorrectly configured access control security levels, which means that certain functions or data within Reuters Direct can be accessed or modified by users who should not have the necessary permissions. The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network without requiring any authentication or user interaction, as indicated by the CVSS vector (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N). Although the vulnerability does not compromise confidentiality or availability, it impacts the integrity of the system by allowing unauthorized modifications, potentially leading to misinformation or manipulation of news data disseminated through Reuters Direct. Reuters Direct is a critical platform used by media, financial institutions, and government agencies for real-time news and data feeds, making the integrity of its content vital. No patches or known exploits are currently available, which suggests that organizations must proactively assess and harden their access control mechanisms. The vulnerability was reserved in June 2025 and published at the end of 2025, indicating a recent discovery. Given the nature of Reuters Direct as a trusted news source, exploitation could have cascading effects on decision-making processes in affected organizations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-49349 can be significant, especially for those in sectors relying heavily on Reuters Direct for accurate and timely information, such as financial services, media, and government agencies. Unauthorized modification of news content or data streams could lead to misinformation, affecting market decisions, public communications, and policy-making. While confidentiality and availability are not directly impacted, the integrity breach could undermine trust in Reuters Direct feeds and cause reputational damage. The remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit increases the risk of widespread abuse if attackers target these organizations. Given the central role of Reuters Direct in disseminating news, even limited unauthorized changes could have outsized effects on information reliability. European financial hubs like London, Frankfurt, and Paris are particularly sensitive due to their reliance on real-time news for trading and regulatory compliance. Additionally, government entities using Reuters Direct for situational awareness could face risks of misinformation influencing critical decisions.

Organizations should immediately conduct thorough audits of their Reuters Direct access control configurations to identify and remediate any misconfigurations. Implement network segmentation to restrict access to Reuters Direct services only to authorized internal systems and users. Deploy monitoring and anomaly detection solutions focused on unusual access patterns or unauthorized modification attempts within Reuters Direct environments. Establish strict role-based access controls (RBAC) and enforce the principle of least privilege for all users interacting with Reuters Direct. Engage with Reuters News Agency to obtain updates on patches or official mitigations and apply them promptly once available. Consider implementing additional validation or verification layers on critical data received from Reuters Direct to detect potential tampering. Train security teams to recognize signs of exploitation attempts and prepare incident response plans specific to this vulnerability. Finally, maintain up-to-date inventories of affected systems and ensure that all relevant stakeholders are informed about the risk and mitigation status.