CVE-2025-6056 is a security vulnerability identified in Ergon Informatik AG's Airlock Identity and Access Management (IAM) product versions 7.7.9, 8.0.8, 8.1.7, 8.2.4, and 8.3.1. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-203, which refers to Observable Discrepancy, specifically a timing discrepancy in the password reset functionality. This flaw allows unauthenticated attackers to enumerate valid usernames by measuring differences in response times during the password reset process. Essentially, when an attacker submits a password reset request, the system's response time varies depending on whether the username exists or not. By analyzing these timing differences, an attacker can infer valid usernames without authentication or user interaction. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.9 (medium severity), reflecting that the attack vector is network-based with low attack complexity, no privileges or user interaction required, and limited impact confined to confidentiality (username enumeration). There is no known exploit in the wild at the time of publication, and no patches have been linked yet. This vulnerability does not directly allow password resets or account takeover but facilitates reconnaissance by revealing valid user accounts, which can be leveraged in subsequent targeted attacks such as phishing, brute force, or credential stuffing.

For European organizations using Airlock IAM, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily related to information disclosure. Username enumeration can significantly aid attackers in crafting targeted attacks against employees or users by confirming valid account identifiers. This can increase the success rate of social engineering, phishing campaigns, and password guessing attacks. Organizations in sectors with high-value targets or sensitive data—such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure—may face elevated risks. Although the vulnerability does not directly compromise passwords or system integrity, it reduces the anonymity of user accounts and can serve as a stepping stone for more severe attacks. Given Airlock IAM's role in managing authentication and access, any compromise or reconnaissance can have cascading effects on organizational security posture. The absence of known exploits suggests limited immediate threat, but the ease of exploitation (no authentication or user interaction needed) means attackers could automate enumeration at scale if unmitigated.

To mitigate CVE-2025-6056, organizations should implement the following specific measures beyond generic advice: 1) Monitor and analyze password reset request patterns to detect abnormal volumes or timing-based probing indicative of enumeration attempts. 2) Introduce uniform response times and generic messages for password reset requests regardless of username validity to eliminate timing discrepancies. This may involve adding artificial delays or standardizing backend processing times. 3) Employ rate limiting and IP reputation filtering on password reset endpoints to reduce automated enumeration attempts. 4) Where feasible, implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) and anomaly detection on authentication-related workflows to reduce the impact of compromised credentials obtained through enumeration-aided attacks. 5) Stay updated with Ergon Informatik AG’s advisories and apply patches or updates promptly once available. 6) Educate users about phishing risks, as username enumeration can facilitate targeted social engineering. 7) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration tests focusing on authentication flows to identify similar side-channel vulnerabilities.