CVE-2025-60291 identifies a critical permission control vulnerability in the eTimeTrackLite Web application up to version 12.0 (build 20250704). The flaw arises from improper enforcement of access controls on specific web routes, allowing unauthorized attackers to bypass authentication and directly access administrative functionalities. Specifically, attackers can modify database connection configurations, which can lead to unauthorized data access, data manipulation, or potentially persistent compromise of the backend database. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control), indicating a failure to restrict access to sensitive functions. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.1 reflects a network-based attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), and no user interaction (UI:N), with high impact on confidentiality (C:H) and integrity (I:H), but no impact on availability (A:N). Although no public exploits have been reported yet, the ease of exploitation and the critical nature of the affected functionality make this vulnerability highly dangerous. Attackers exploiting this flaw could gain control over database connection parameters, potentially redirecting connections to malicious databases or exfiltrating sensitive information. This vulnerability demands urgent attention from organizations using eTimeTrackLite, especially those managing sensitive or regulated data.

For European organizations, the exploitation of CVE-2025-60291 could result in severe data breaches, unauthorized data manipulation, and loss of trust in business operations. Since the vulnerability allows modification of database connection configurations without authentication, attackers could redirect database connections to attacker-controlled servers, leading to data exfiltration or injection of malicious data. This compromises confidentiality and integrity of critical business data. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and government, which often use time tracking and workforce management tools like eTimeTrackLite, could face regulatory penalties under GDPR if personal data is exposed. Operational disruptions may also occur if database configurations are altered to cause service failures or degraded performance. The lack of required privileges or user interaction means attacks can be automated and launched remotely, increasing the risk of widespread exploitation. Additionally, the vulnerability could serve as a foothold for further lateral movement within corporate networks, escalating the overall threat landscape for affected entities in Europe.

1. Immediately restrict network access to eTimeTrackLite administrative routes using firewalls or web application firewalls (WAFs) to limit exposure to trusted IP addresses only. 2. Conduct a thorough access control audit on the eTimeTrackLite deployment to ensure proper permission enforcement on all sensitive routes. 3. Monitor logs and network traffic for unusual access patterns or attempts to reach administrative endpoints without authentication. 4. Implement network segmentation to isolate the eTimeTrackLite server and its database from other critical infrastructure. 5. When available, apply official patches or updates from the vendor addressing CVE-2025-60291 without delay. 6. Consider deploying runtime application self-protection (RASP) or intrusion detection systems (IDS) to detect and block exploitation attempts. 7. Review and harden database connection configurations to prevent unauthorized changes, including enforcing strong authentication and encryption. 8. Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability and incorporate it into incident response plans. 9. If patching is delayed, consider temporary mitigations such as disabling vulnerable features or using reverse proxies to enforce access controls.