CVE-2025-52449 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-434, which involves the unrestricted upload of files with dangerous types in Salesforce Tableau Server. This vulnerability affects Tableau Server versions prior to 2025.1.3, 2024.2.12, and 2023.3.19, across Windows and Linux platforms, specifically impacting the Extensible Protocol Service modules. The core issue is that the server does not properly restrict or validate the types of files that users can upload, allowing an attacker to upload malicious files with deceptive filenames. This can lead to alternative execution paths, effectively enabling remote code execution (RCE) on the affected server. The vulnerability arises because the system fails to enforce adequate file type restrictions and sanitization, allowing attackers to bypass security controls and execute arbitrary code remotely. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the potential for exploitation is significant given the nature of the vulnerability and the critical role Tableau Server plays in data visualization and business intelligence workflows. The lack of a CVSS score indicates that the vulnerability is newly published and has not yet been fully assessed or exploited. However, the technical details suggest a high-risk scenario due to the possibility of RCE without authentication or user interaction requirements explicitly stated. This vulnerability could be exploited by attackers to gain unauthorized access, execute malicious payloads, and potentially compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of enterprise data and systems hosted on Tableau Server.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-52449 could be severe. Tableau Server is widely used in enterprises for data analytics and visualization, often handling sensitive business intelligence data. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to critical data, disruption of analytics services, and potential lateral movement within corporate networks. This could result in data breaches, loss of intellectual property, and operational downtime. Given the increasing reliance on data-driven decision-making in European industries such as finance, manufacturing, and public sector, the compromise of Tableau Server could undermine business continuity and regulatory compliance, including GDPR obligations related to data protection. The ability to execute code remotely on servers that process and visualize sensitive data poses a direct threat to organizational security posture and could facilitate further attacks such as ransomware deployment or espionage.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should prioritize updating Tableau Server to the fixed versions 2025.1.3, 2024.2.12, or 2023.3.19 as soon as they become available. In the interim, organizations should implement strict file upload controls, including whitelisting allowed file types and enforcing rigorous filename validation and sanitization. Network segmentation should be employed to isolate Tableau Server from critical infrastructure and sensitive data stores. Monitoring and logging of file upload activities should be enhanced to detect anomalous behavior indicative of exploitation attempts. Additionally, applying the principle of least privilege to Tableau Server service accounts and restricting administrative access can reduce the attack surface. Organizations should also conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focused on file upload functionalities. Finally, maintaining up-to-date backups and an incident response plan tailored to potential RCE incidents will aid in rapid recovery if exploitation occurs.