CVE-2025-52026 is a high-severity information disclosure vulnerability affecting the Aptsys gemscms backend platform. The vulnerability resides in the /srvs/membersrv/getCashiers API endpoint, which is accessible without authentication and returns detailed cashier account information, including names, email addresses, usernames, and passwords hashed using the MD5 algorithm. MD5 is a deprecated cryptographic hash function known for its vulnerabilities to collision attacks and rapid hash reversal using publicly available tools and rainbow tables. Because the endpoint is unauthenticated, any remote attacker can query it and retrieve the list of cashier accounts. Once attackers obtain the MD5 hashes, they can quickly reverse them to recover plaintext passwords, enabling unauthorized logins. This can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive point-of-sale (POS) operations or backend administrative functions, potentially resulting in fraudulent transactions, data theft, or further compromise of the system. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (CWE-200) and involves the use of a weak cryptographic algorithm (CWE-327). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting network attack vector, low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and high impact on confidentiality. Although no public exploits are currently known, the ease of exploitation and sensitive data exposure make this a critical issue for affected organizations. No patches or mitigations are currently linked, indicating an urgent need for vendor response or customer-side controls.

For European organizations, especially those in retail or hospitality sectors using the Aptsys gemscms platform, this vulnerability poses a significant risk. Unauthorized access to cashier accounts can lead to fraudulent POS transactions, financial losses, and reputational damage. Exposure of user credentials may also facilitate lateral movement within networks, enabling attackers to escalate privileges or access sensitive backend systems. Given the unauthenticated nature of the vulnerability, attackers can exploit it remotely without any prior access, increasing the attack surface. The breach of confidentiality could also lead to violations of GDPR and other data protection regulations, resulting in legal and financial penalties. Organizations relying on this platform must consider the potential for operational disruption and customer trust erosion. The lack of known exploits currently provides a limited window for proactive mitigation before active attacks emerge.

1. Immediately restrict or disable access to the /srvs/membersrv/getCashiers endpoint via network controls such as firewalls or API gateways, limiting it to trusted internal IPs only. 2. Engage with the Aptsys vendor to obtain patches or updates that address this vulnerability; if unavailable, consider upgrading to a newer, secure version of the platform. 3. Replace MD5 hashing with a modern, secure password hashing algorithm such as bcrypt, Argon2, or PBKDF2 to prevent hash reversal. 4. Implement strong access controls and authentication mechanisms on all sensitive API endpoints to prevent unauthenticated data exposure. 5. Conduct a thorough audit of all cashier accounts and reset passwords to mitigate compromised credentials. 6. Monitor network traffic and logs for unusual access patterns or attempts to exploit this endpoint. 7. Educate staff about the risks of credential compromise and enforce multi-factor authentication where possible to reduce the impact of stolen credentials. 8. Prepare incident response plans specific to POS system breaches to rapidly contain and remediate any exploitation.