CVE-2025-58060 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability affecting OpenPrinting's Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS) versions prior to 2.4.13. CUPS is widely used on Linux and other Unix-like operating systems to manage print jobs and queues. The vulnerability arises when the server's authentication type (AuthType) is configured to any method other than 'Basic'. In such cases, if a client request includes an 'Authorization: Basic ...' header, the system fails to properly verify the password, effectively bypassing authentication controls. This improper authentication flaw (CWE-287) allows an attacker with local access (as indicated by CVSS vector AV:L) to potentially escalate privileges or manipulate print services without valid credentials. The vulnerability impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as unauthorized users could access sensitive print jobs, alter print queues, or disrupt printing services. The issue was addressed in version 2.4.13 of CUPS, which properly validates credentials regardless of the AuthType setting. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the vulnerability's nature and ease of exploitation (no user interaction or privileges required) make it a significant risk for affected systems.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk, especially in environments where CUPS is deployed on critical infrastructure or shared printing services. Unauthorized access to print servers can lead to leakage of sensitive documents, manipulation or deletion of print jobs, and potential denial of printing services, disrupting business operations. Organizations in sectors such as government, finance, healthcare, and manufacturing, which often handle confidential or regulated data, could face compliance violations and reputational damage if print data is compromised. Moreover, attackers could leverage this vulnerability as a foothold for lateral movement within internal networks, given that CUPS often runs with elevated privileges. The local attack vector implies that attackers need some level of access to the network or host, which could be achieved through compromised user accounts or insider threats. The vulnerability's high CVSS score (8.0) reflects the serious impact on integrity and availability, making timely patching critical to mitigate risks.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading all CUPS installations to version 2.4.13 or later, where the authentication bypass has been fixed. Until patching is possible, administrators should review and restrict AuthType configurations to avoid allowing non-Basic authentication methods that could be exploited. Implement strict access controls to limit local access to print servers, including network segmentation and host-based firewalls to restrict connections to trusted users and systems only. Monitoring and logging of print server access should be enhanced to detect unusual authentication attempts or unauthorized print job submissions. Additionally, organizations should conduct internal audits to identify all systems running vulnerable CUPS versions and verify that no unauthorized changes have occurred. Employing endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Finally, user awareness and training on the risks of local access compromise can reduce the likelihood of attackers gaining the initial foothold required to exploit this vulnerability.