CVE-2025-62650 identifies a vulnerability in the Restaurant Brands International assistant platform, specifically related to the use of client-side authentication for accessing the diagnostic screen. Client-side authentication means that the validation of user credentials or access rights is performed on the user's device or browser rather than on the server. This approach is inherently insecure because attackers can manipulate client-side code or requests to bypass authentication controls. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-603 (Use of Client-Side Authentication), which highlights the risk of trusting client-side mechanisms for security enforcement. The affected versions include all releases up to 2025-09-06, with no patch currently available. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.3 reflects a high severity, with attack vector being network (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction needed (UI:N), and scope changed (S:C). The impact metrics indicate low confidentiality (C:L), integrity (I:L), and availability (A:L) impacts, meaning attackers can gain limited unauthorized access or cause minor disruptions. The scope change implies that exploitation affects resources beyond the initially vulnerable component, potentially impacting other parts of the system. Although no exploits have been reported in the wild, the vulnerability’s characteristics suggest it could be leveraged by remote attackers to access diagnostic functions, potentially revealing sensitive operational data or enabling unauthorized changes. This could lead to operational disruptions or data leaks within the RBI platform environment.

For European organizations using the RBI assistant platform, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to operational security and data confidentiality. The diagnostic screen likely contains sensitive information about system health, configurations, or operational metrics, which if accessed by unauthorized parties, could facilitate further attacks or disrupt services. The integrity impact means attackers might alter diagnostic data or configurations, potentially causing misdiagnosis or operational failures. Availability impact, although low, could still lead to denial of diagnostic services, complicating incident response or maintenance. Given the network-based attack vector and no requirement for privileges or user interaction, exploitation could be automated and widespread if the platform is exposed externally or insufficiently segmented internally. European food service providers or franchisees relying on RBI’s platform may face operational disruptions, reputational damage, and regulatory scrutiny, especially under GDPR if personal or operational data is compromised. The vulnerability also raises concerns about supply chain security in the food service sector, which is critical for public health and economic stability.

Immediate mitigation should focus on eliminating client-side authentication mechanisms for sensitive functions like the diagnostic screen. RBI and affected organizations should implement robust server-side authentication and authorization controls to ensure access is validated securely on the server. Network segmentation should be enforced to restrict access to diagnostic interfaces only to trusted internal systems and personnel. Employing multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative or diagnostic access can further reduce risk. Monitoring and logging access to diagnostic screens should be enhanced to detect anomalous or unauthorized attempts promptly. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of the RBI platform deployment, including penetration testing focused on authentication bypass scenarios. Until a vendor patch is available, consider deploying web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules to detect and block suspicious requests targeting the diagnostic interface. Training and awareness for IT and security teams on this vulnerability and its exploitation methods will improve incident response readiness. Finally, organizations should engage with RBI for timely updates and patches addressing this vulnerability.