CVE-2025-52659 identifies a vulnerability in HCL Software's AION version 2 related to improper caching of HTTP responses containing sensitive or dynamic content. The core issue stems from the web application allowing cacheable HTTP responses that include sensitive information, violating secure caching practices as defined in CWE-525. When a web browser caches such responses, sensitive data may be stored locally on the user's device, which could be accessed by unauthorized parties with physical or remote access to the device. The vulnerability requires an attacker to have low-level privileges on the victim's machine and for the user to interact with the application, such as visiting a malicious or compromised page that triggers caching of sensitive data. The CVSS v3.1 score of 2.8 reflects the low impact on confidentiality and integrity, with a minor impact on availability due to potential cache poisoning or stale data issues. No known exploits are reported, and no patches have been published yet, indicating the vulnerability is currently theoretical or low risk. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper HTTP cache control headers (e.g., Cache-Control: no-store, no-cache) to prevent sensitive data from being stored in browser caches. Organizations using HCL AION should audit their HTTP response headers and application logic to ensure sensitive content is never cacheable. This vulnerability is particularly relevant for environments where sensitive data is processed or displayed via AION, such as financial, healthcare, or government sectors.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-52659 is generally low but context-dependent. If sensitive or dynamic content is cached improperly, unauthorized users with access to the affected user's device could retrieve sensitive information, leading to potential data leakage. This risk is heightened in shared or public workstations, or in environments with weak endpoint security controls. The vulnerability does not directly compromise system confidentiality or integrity over the network, but it can facilitate local information disclosure. Availability impact is minimal, mostly related to potential stale or corrupted cache data affecting application behavior. Organizations handling sensitive personal data under GDPR must consider the risk of inadvertent data exposure through browser caches, which could lead to compliance issues and reputational damage. The lack of known exploits and the requirement for local access reduce the immediate threat level, but the vulnerability should be addressed proactively to maintain secure data handling practices.

To mitigate CVE-2025-52659, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Review and update HTTP response headers in HCL AION applications to include Cache-Control directives such as 'no-store', 'no-cache', and 'private' for any sensitive or dynamic content to prevent caching by browsers. 2) Employ the 'Pragma: no-cache' and 'Expires: 0' headers as additional safeguards for legacy clients. 3) Conduct a thorough audit of all web application endpoints to identify any responses that may inadvertently include sensitive data and ensure they are properly marked as non-cacheable. 4) Educate users about the risks of using shared or public devices and encourage secure browsing habits, including clearing browser caches regularly. 5) Implement endpoint security controls to restrict unauthorized local access to user devices, such as disk encryption and strong authentication mechanisms. 6) Monitor application logs and user activity for unusual access patterns that may indicate attempts to exploit cached data. 7) Stay informed about vendor updates and apply patches promptly once available. 8) Consider deploying web application firewalls (WAFs) that can enforce cache-control policies at the network edge. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on HTTP header management, user education, and endpoint security tailored to the nature of this vulnerability.