CVE-2025-62395 is an improper access control vulnerability identified in a cohort search web service component of a software product with versions 4.1.0 through 5.0.0 affected. The flaw arises because the service does not adequately enforce permission boundaries between different operational contexts. Specifically, users who have permissions limited to lower contexts can exploit this weakness to retrieve cohort information from the system context, which is intended to be restricted to administrative users only. This results in unauthorized disclosure of sensitive administrative data. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 4.3, reflecting a medium severity level. The attack vector is network-based (AV:N), requires low privileges (PR:L), and does not require user interaction (UI:N). The scope is unchanged (S:U), and the impact is limited to confidentiality (C:L) without affecting integrity or availability. No public exploits have been reported yet, but the flaw could be leveraged by insiders or attackers who have gained limited access to the system. The root cause is insufficient enforcement of access control policies in the web service handling cohort searches, which should segregate data access strictly by user roles and contexts. Without proper patching or compensating controls, this vulnerability could lead to unauthorized data exposure, potentially aiding further attacks or data leakage.

For European organizations, this vulnerability primarily threatens the confidentiality of sensitive administrative data. Exposure of such data could facilitate further targeted attacks, insider threats, or compliance violations under regulations like GDPR, which mandates strict protection of personal and administrative information. Organizations in sectors such as healthcare, research, or government that rely on cohort data for analytics or decision-making may face reputational damage and legal consequences if administrative data is leaked. Although the vulnerability does not affect system integrity or availability, unauthorized access to administrative contexts could allow attackers to map system configurations or user roles, increasing the risk of privilege escalation or lateral movement. The medium CVSS score indicates moderate risk, but the actual impact depends on the sensitivity of the exposed data and the organization's ability to detect and respond to unauthorized access. Since exploitation requires only low privileges and no user interaction, attackers who gain limited access to the network could leverage this flaw to escalate information access without raising immediate suspicion.

To mitigate CVE-2025-62395, organizations should first apply any available patches or updates from the software vendor addressing the improper access control. If patches are not yet available, implement strict access control policies at the network and application layers to restrict access to the cohort search web service only to fully authorized users. Employ role-based access control (RBAC) mechanisms to ensure users cannot access system context data unless explicitly permitted. Conduct thorough audits of permission assignments and review logs for anomalous access patterns indicating attempts to retrieve administrative data from lower privilege accounts. Use web application firewalls (WAFs) to detect and block suspicious requests targeting cohort search endpoints. Additionally, segment networks to isolate administrative services from general user access and enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative accounts to reduce the risk of credential compromise. Regularly train staff on the importance of access controls and monitor for insider threats. Finally, prepare incident response plans to quickly address any detected unauthorized access incidents related to this vulnerability.