CVE-2025-52449 is a high-severity vulnerability classified under CWE-434, which pertains to the unrestricted upload of files with dangerous types. This vulnerability affects Salesforce's Tableau Server running on Windows and Linux platforms, specifically within the Extensible Protocol Service modules. The flaw allows attackers to upload files with deceptive filenames that can lead to alternative execution paths, effectively enabling remote code execution (RCE). The vulnerability impacts multiple versions of Tableau Server prior to 2025.1.3, 2024.2.12, and 2023.3.19, indicating a broad range of affected releases. The CVSS v3.1 score of 8.5 reflects a high severity, with an attack vector classified as adjacent network (AV:A), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), but requiring user interaction (UI:R). The scope is changed (S:C), meaning the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially vulnerable component. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is high, while availability is not affected. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the nature of the vulnerability—unrestricted file upload leading to RCE—makes it a critical concern. Attackers could craft malicious files with deceptive names to bypass file type restrictions and execute arbitrary code on the server, potentially compromising sensitive data and control over the Tableau Server environment. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous because Tableau Server is often used for business intelligence and data visualization, hosting sensitive corporate data and analytics. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized data access, manipulation, or disruption of business operations.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-52449 could be significant due to the widespread adoption of Tableau Server for data analytics and business intelligence across various industries including finance, manufacturing, healthcare, and public sector entities. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, including personal data protected under GDPR, resulting in regulatory penalties and reputational damage. The ability to execute code remotely on Tableau Servers could also allow attackers to move laterally within corporate networks, escalate privileges, and potentially disrupt critical business processes. Given the high confidentiality and integrity impact, organizations could face data breaches, intellectual property theft, and manipulation of business-critical analytics. The requirement for user interaction (UI:R) suggests that social engineering or phishing could be used to trigger the exploit, increasing the risk in environments where users have access to Tableau Server interfaces. Additionally, the changed scope (S:C) indicates that the vulnerability could affect other components or systems beyond Tableau Server itself, amplifying the potential damage.

To mitigate CVE-2025-52449, European organizations should prioritize the following actions: 1) Immediate patching: Upgrade Tableau Server installations to versions 2025.1.3, 2024.2.12, 2023.3.19 or later where the vulnerability is fixed. 2) File upload restrictions: Implement strict server-side validation of file types and filenames, including whitelisting allowed file extensions and rejecting files with deceptive or double extensions. 3) User training: Educate users about the risks of interacting with untrusted files and the importance of verifying file sources to reduce successful social engineering attempts. 4) Network segmentation: Isolate Tableau Server environments from critical infrastructure to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 5) Monitoring and detection: Deploy advanced endpoint and network monitoring to detect anomalous file uploads or execution patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. 6) Access controls: Enforce least privilege principles for users interacting with Tableau Server, minimizing the potential impact of compromised accounts. 7) Incident response readiness: Prepare and test incident response plans specifically addressing file upload and RCE scenarios on Tableau Server. These measures, combined with timely patching, will reduce the attack surface and improve resilience against exploitation.