CVE-2025-54394 is a vulnerability identified in Netwrix Directory Manager (formerly known as Imanami GroupID) versions prior to 11.1.25162.02. The vulnerability pertains to insufficient protection of credentials when the software makes requests to remote Excel resources. Specifically, the credentials used in these requests are not adequately secured, potentially exposing sensitive authentication information during communication with external Excel data sources. This weakness could allow an attacker with network visibility or access to intercept or extract these credentials, leading to unauthorized access to the remote Excel resources or the broader network environment. The vulnerability affects version 11.0.0.0 and earlier, with no detailed affected subversions specified. There are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, and no CVSS score has been assigned yet. The lack of a CVSS score suggests that the vulnerability is newly published and may require further analysis to fully understand its exploitability and impact. The vulnerability is significant because Netwrix Directory Manager is used for managing and auditing Active Directory and other identity-related resources, making credential exposure a critical risk. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability could potentially escalate privileges or move laterally within an enterprise network by abusing exposed credentials tied to Excel data connections.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a considerable risk, especially for those relying on Netwrix Directory Manager for identity and access management. Exposure of credentials used in remote Excel resource requests could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive business data, including financial, HR, or operational information stored or processed via Excel files linked remotely. This could result in data breaches, compliance violations (notably GDPR), and operational disruptions. Given the role of Netwrix Directory Manager in managing directory services, attackers could leverage stolen credentials to escalate privileges, compromise additional systems, or exfiltrate data. The impact is heightened in sectors with strict regulatory requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government institutions prevalent across Europe. Additionally, the vulnerability could undermine trust in IT infrastructure security and lead to costly incident response and remediation efforts.

Organizations should prioritize upgrading Netwrix Directory Manager to version 11.1.25162.02 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. In the absence of an immediate patch, network administrators should restrict and monitor network traffic to and from Netwrix Directory Manager, especially connections involving remote Excel resources. Implementing network segmentation and enforcing strict access controls can limit exposure. Additionally, organizations should audit and rotate credentials used by Netwrix Directory Manager for remote Excel connections to reduce the risk of credential reuse. Employing encryption for data in transit, such as enforcing TLS for all communications, can help protect credentials from interception. Monitoring logs for unusual access patterns or failed authentication attempts related to Excel resource requests is also recommended. Finally, organizations should conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on identity management systems to detect potential exploitation attempts early.