CVE-2025-57976 is a Missing Authorization vulnerability (CWE-862) identified in the CardCom Payment Gateway, affecting versions up to 3.5.0.4. This vulnerability arises due to incorrectly configured access control security levels, allowing unauthorized users to perform actions or access resources that should be restricted. The flaw does not require authentication or user interaction to exploit, and it can be triggered remotely over the network (AV:N). The vulnerability impacts the integrity of the system, as unauthorized modifications or operations can be performed, but it does not affect confidentiality or availability directly. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 5.3 (medium severity), reflecting the moderate risk posed by this issue. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet. The vulnerability is significant because payment gateways are critical components in processing financial transactions, and improper authorization can lead to fraudulent transactions, manipulation of payment data, or unauthorized financial operations. Given the nature of the vulnerability, attackers could potentially bypass security controls to alter transaction parameters or payment processing workflows, undermining trust and compliance with financial regulations.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be substantial. Payment gateways like CardCom are integral to e-commerce, retail, and financial services sectors. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized transaction manipulations, financial losses, and reputational damage. Additionally, compromised payment gateways may violate the EU's Payment Services Directive (PSD2) and GDPR regulations, exposing organizations to legal penalties and compliance issues. The integrity compromise could facilitate fraudulent activities, such as unauthorized refunds or altered payment amounts, which can disrupt business operations and customer trust. Since the vulnerability does not require authentication, attackers can exploit it remotely, increasing the risk of widespread attacks. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for mitigation, but organizations must act proactively to prevent potential exploitation. The medium severity rating indicates that while the threat is not critical, it remains a significant risk due to the sensitive nature of payment processing systems.

European organizations using CardCom Payment Gateway should immediately review their access control configurations and verify that authorization checks are correctly enforced for all sensitive operations. Since no official patches are currently available, organizations should implement compensating controls such as network segmentation to restrict access to the payment gateway interfaces only to trusted internal systems and users. Employing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block unauthorized access attempts can reduce exposure. Regularly auditing logs for anomalous activities related to payment processing is essential to detect potential exploitation early. Organizations should also engage with CardCom for timely updates and patches and plan for rapid deployment once available. Additionally, conducting penetration testing focused on authorization controls can help identify and remediate weaknesses before attackers exploit them. Finally, ensuring compliance with PSD2 and GDPR by maintaining strong internal controls and incident response plans will mitigate regulatory risks associated with this vulnerability.