CVE-2025-57788 is a vulnerability identified in Commvault's CommCell software versions prior to 11.36.60. The root cause is the use of a hard-coded password within a known login mechanism, which allows unauthenticated attackers to execute API calls without providing valid user credentials. This flaw effectively bypasses authentication controls, enabling attackers to interact with the CommCell API and potentially manipulate backup and recovery operations. Although Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is implemented in CommCell to limit the scope of actions available to different users, it does not fully mitigate the risk posed by this vulnerability since the initial authentication step can be bypassed. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-259 (Use of Hard-coded Password), which is a common security weakness where embedded credentials can be extracted or exploited by attackers. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 6.9 (medium severity), reflecting the network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and partial impact on confidentiality and integrity (VC:L, VI:L). There is no impact on availability or authorization scope changes. No known exploits have been reported in the wild as of the publication date (August 20, 2025), and no patches have been linked yet. However, the presence of a hard-coded password in a critical backup management platform poses a significant risk if exploited, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, manipulation of backup data, or disruption of backup and restore processes.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability could be substantial, especially for enterprises relying on Commvault CommCell for data protection and disaster recovery. Unauthorized API access could allow attackers to exfiltrate sensitive backup data, modify or delete backups, or disrupt recovery operations, undermining business continuity and data integrity. This is particularly critical for sectors with stringent data protection requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government agencies under GDPR regulations. The ability to bypass authentication without user interaction increases the risk of automated exploitation attempts. Even though RBAC limits the scope of actions, the initial bypass could still enable attackers to perform unauthorized operations within the permitted roles, potentially escalating privileges or causing indirect damage. The medium severity rating suggests a moderate but actionable risk, emphasizing the need for timely mitigation to prevent potential data breaches or operational disruptions.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should: 1) Immediately verify the Commvault CommCell version in use and plan for an upgrade to version 11.36.60 or later once a patch is available. 2) Until patched, restrict network access to the CommCell API endpoints using firewall rules and network segmentation to limit exposure to trusted management networks only. 3) Implement enhanced monitoring and alerting on API usage patterns to detect anomalous or unauthorized calls that could indicate exploitation attempts. 4) Review and tighten RBAC policies to minimize permissions granted to service accounts and users interacting with the CommCell API, reducing potential damage scope. 5) Conduct regular audits of backup configurations and logs to identify suspicious activities. 6) Engage with Commvault support for any available workarounds or interim security controls. 7) Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability to ensure rapid response if suspicious activity is detected. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on immediate access control, monitoring, and policy hardening tailored to this specific vulnerability context.