CVE-2025-57789 is a medium-severity vulnerability identified in Commvault's CommCell software versions 11.32.0 and 11.36.0. The vulnerability stems from the storage of passwords in a recoverable format during the initial setup phase of the product. Specifically, there exists a brief window between the installation of CommCell and the first administrator login where a default credential is active and can be exploited remotely. During this setup phase, before any backup jobs or configurations have been established, an attacker with network access could leverage this default credential to gain administrative control over the CommCell environment. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-257, which relates to storing passwords in a recoverable format, indicating that the password storage mechanism does not adequately protect credentials, potentially allowing attackers to retrieve or misuse them. The CVSS 4.0 base score of 5.3 reflects a medium severity, with the vector indicating network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no authentication required (AT:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and partial impact on confidentiality and integrity (VC:L, VI:L), but no impact on availability (VA:N). No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability is limited to the setup phase, which reduces the exposure window but still presents a critical risk if an attacker can access the system during this time. The lack of authentication requirement and remote exploitability make this vulnerability a significant concern for organizations deploying CommCell, especially if installation occurs in environments accessible to untrusted networks or users.

For European organizations using Commvault CommCell versions 11.32.0 or 11.36.0, this vulnerability poses a risk of unauthorized administrative access during the installation phase. An attacker exploiting this flaw could gain full control over the backup management system, potentially leading to unauthorized data access, manipulation, or deletion. Given that CommCell manages critical backup and recovery operations, compromise could disrupt data protection strategies, leading to data loss or exposure of sensitive information. The impact on confidentiality and integrity is partial but significant, as attackers could access backup configurations and potentially sensitive backup data. Although the vulnerability is limited to the setup phase, in environments where installations are performed on network-connected systems without adequate isolation, the risk increases. European organizations with strict data protection regulations such as GDPR must be particularly cautious, as unauthorized access to backup data could lead to regulatory non-compliance and financial penalties. Additionally, the disruption of backup services could affect business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities.

To mitigate this vulnerability, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Perform CommCell installations in isolated, secure network environments that are not accessible to untrusted users or external networks during setup. 2) Immediately complete the initial administrator login and change default credentials as soon as installation finishes to minimize the exposure window. 3) Monitor network traffic and logs during installation phases to detect any unauthorized access attempts. 4) Restrict network access to the CommCell server during installation using firewall rules or network segmentation. 5) Engage with Commvault support to obtain any available patches or security advisories addressing this vulnerability and apply them promptly once released. 6) Incorporate this vulnerability into the organization's risk assessment and incident response plans, ensuring readiness to respond to any exploitation attempts during deployment. 7) Train IT staff on secure installation procedures and the importance of minimizing the setup phase exposure. These targeted actions go beyond generic advice by focusing on securing the installation environment and rapid credential management to reduce the risk window.