CVE-2025-57605 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the AiKaan IoT Platform, specifically involving a lack of server-side authorization controls on department admin assignment APIs. This flaw allows any authenticated user to escalate their privileges by assigning themselves as administrators of other departments within the platform. The vulnerability stems from improper authorization validation (CWE-862), where the server fails to verify whether the requesting user has the right to modify admin assignments for departments other than their own. Consequently, an attacker with valid credentials can manipulate API calls to gain unauthorized administrative privileges across multiple departments. This privilege escalation can lead to full control over departmental resources, including sensitive IoT device configurations, data access, and operational controls. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.8 reflects the vulnerability's critical impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with network attack vector, low attack complexity, and no user interaction required. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability's nature and ease of exploitation make it a significant risk for organizations using the AiKaan IoT Platform, especially those managing multiple departments or units with segregated access controls.

For European organizations deploying the AiKaan IoT Platform, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk. Unauthorized privilege escalation can lead to widespread unauthorized access across departmental boundaries, potentially compromising sensitive operational data and control over IoT devices. This could disrupt critical infrastructure, manufacturing processes, or smart building management systems that rely on the platform. The breach of confidentiality could expose personal or proprietary data, while integrity violations might allow attackers to alter device configurations or operational parameters, leading to malfunction or sabotage. Availability could also be impacted if attackers disable or disrupt IoT services. Given the increasing reliance on IoT in sectors such as manufacturing, energy, healthcare, and smart cities across Europe, exploitation of this vulnerability could have cascading effects on business continuity, regulatory compliance (e.g., GDPR), and safety. The lack of user interaction and low complexity of exploitation further increase the likelihood of attack attempts, emphasizing the need for prompt remediation.

To mitigate CVE-2025-57605, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Immediately audit and restrict access to the department admin assignment APIs, ensuring only authorized personnel can invoke these endpoints. 2) Apply strict server-side authorization checks that validate whether the authenticated user has the right to assign admin roles within the targeted department before processing any requests. 3) Monitor API usage logs for anomalous privilege assignment activities, such as users assigning themselves or others as admins across departments. 4) Employ role-based access control (RBAC) policies with the principle of least privilege to limit the scope of user permissions. 5) If available, deploy any patches or updates released by AiKaan promptly; if no patches exist, consider implementing compensating controls such as network segmentation or API gateways with additional authorization enforcement. 6) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on authorization mechanisms within the IoT platform. 7) Educate administrators and users about the risks of privilege escalation and encourage reporting of suspicious activities.