CVE-2025-57729 is a vulnerability identified in JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA versions prior to 2025.2. The issue stems from the automatic startup of the Language Server Protocol (LSP) server, which allows unexpected plugin startup. This behavior is classified under CWE-829, which pertains to inclusion of functionality from untrusted control sphere, leading to unintended execution of code or components. Specifically, the automatic LSP server start can be exploited by an attacker with limited privileges (low privileges) to trigger the startup of plugins without user interaction, potentially leading to unauthorized code execution or privilege escalation within the IDE environment. The vulnerability has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.5, indicating a medium severity level. The vector metrics specify that the attack requires local access (AV:L), high attack complexity (AC:H), low privileges (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), unchanged scope (S:U), and impacts confidentiality and integrity significantly (C:H/I:H) with a low impact on availability (A:L). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability could be leveraged by malicious actors to execute arbitrary code or load malicious plugins silently, potentially compromising the development environment and any sensitive code or credentials stored or accessed through IntelliJ IDEA.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk particularly to software development teams relying on IntelliJ IDEA for coding, debugging, and project management. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized code execution within the IDE, risking intellectual property theft, insertion of malicious code into software projects, and exposure of sensitive development credentials or environment configurations. Given the high confidentiality and integrity impact, compromised development environments could cascade into broader supply chain risks, affecting downstream applications and services. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but insider threats or compromised endpoints could be vectors. Organizations in Europe with stringent data protection regulations (e.g., GDPR) must be cautious, as breaches involving source code or development secrets could lead to regulatory penalties and reputational damage. The medium severity rating suggests that while the vulnerability is not trivial, it requires specific conditions to exploit, but the potential damage to software integrity and confidentiality is considerable.

European organizations should proactively monitor for updates from JetBrains and apply patches immediately once available. Until patches are released, organizations should consider disabling automatic LSP server startup within IntelliJ IDEA settings if configurable, or restrict plugin installation and execution privileges to trusted users only. Implement strict endpoint security controls to prevent unauthorized local access, including enforcing strong authentication, endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions, and limiting physical and remote access to developer machines. Regularly audit installed plugins and monitor IDE behavior for anomalies indicating unexpected plugin activity. Additionally, organizations should educate developers about the risks of installing untrusted plugins and enforce policies restricting plugin sources. Network segmentation of development environments and use of virtualized or containerized IDE instances can further reduce risk exposure. Finally, maintain robust backup and version control practices to recover from potential codebase tampering.