CVE-2025-62645 is a critical security vulnerability identified in the Restaurant Brands International (RBI) assistant platform, specifically involving an incorrect privilege assignment (CWE-266). The vulnerability allows a remote attacker who has authenticated access to the platform to exploit the createToken GraphQL mutation to generate a token with administrative privileges. This escalation of privilege occurs because the platform fails to properly validate the privileges assigned during token creation, permitting a low-privilege user to obtain full administrative control over the entire assistant platform. The vulnerability affects all versions of the platform up to and including 2025-09-06. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.9 reflects the vulnerability’s critical nature, with attack vector being network-based (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), requiring privileges (PR:L) but no user interaction (UI:N), and having a scope change (S:C) that impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). Although there are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication, the vulnerability’s characteristics make it highly exploitable by malicious insiders or attackers who have gained initial access. The assistant platform is likely used to manage various operational aspects of RBI’s restaurant brands, meaning that compromise could lead to unauthorized control over sensitive operational data, disruption of services, and potential lateral movement within corporate networks. The root cause lies in insufficient authorization checks during token creation, a common pitfall in GraphQL API implementations where mutations must enforce strict privilege boundaries. Without appropriate patches or compensating controls, attackers can leverage this flaw to fully compromise the platform.

For European organizations utilizing the RBI assistant platform, this vulnerability poses a severe risk. Attackers exploiting this flaw can gain administrative access, leading to full control over the platform’s functionalities. This can result in unauthorized data access, manipulation of operational workflows, disruption of restaurant services, and potential exposure of customer and employee data. The compromise could also facilitate further attacks within the corporate network, including lateral movement and persistence. Given RBI’s significant market presence in Europe, especially in countries with a high density of their restaurant brands, the operational and reputational impact could be substantial. Additionally, regulatory implications under GDPR could arise if personal data is exposed or mishandled due to this vulnerability. The critical severity and ease of exploitation mean that even moderately skilled attackers with valid credentials could cause major disruptions. The lack of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the risk of future exploitation remains high.

To mitigate CVE-2025-62645 effectively, organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Immediately restrict access to the createToken GraphQL mutation to only the most trusted and necessary administrative users, employing role-based access controls (RBAC) with the principle of least privilege. 2) Conduct a thorough audit of all token creation and privilege assignment mechanisms within the assistant platform to identify and remediate improper privilege escalations. 3) Implement additional authorization checks within the GraphQL API layer to validate that token creation requests align with the requesting user’s privileges. 4) Monitor logs and set up alerts for unusual token creation activities, especially those resulting in administrative tokens, to detect potential exploitation attempts early. 5) If available, apply vendor patches promptly once released; in the absence of patches, consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to block suspicious GraphQL mutation patterns. 6) Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all users accessing the assistant platform to reduce the risk of credential compromise. 7) Conduct regular security assessments and penetration testing focused on API security to uncover similar privilege escalation issues. 8) Educate internal teams about the risks associated with privilege escalation vulnerabilities and the importance of secure API design and usage.