Apollo Federation is a framework for composing multiple GraphQL APIs into a single unified graph, facilitating declarative API composition. The vulnerability CVE-2025-64530 affects Apollo Federation's composition logic in versions prior to 2.9.5, 2.10.4, 2.11.5, and 2.12.1. The core issue is an authentication bypass stemming from improper handling of user-defined access control directives on interface types and fields. Specifically, Apollo Federation allowed directives such as @authenticated, @requiresScopes, or @policy to be defined on interface types/fields, but failed to enforce these controls when queries targeted the implementing object types/fields via inline fragments in Apollo Router. This bypass occurs because the access control directives on interfaces are not automatically propagated or enforced on the concrete implementing types, allowing attackers to circumvent restrictions by querying the underlying object types directly. The vulnerability does not require any privileges or user interaction and can be exploited remotely by crafting specific GraphQL queries. The fix implemented in the patched versions disallows user-defined access control directives on interface types/fields, forcing developers to apply access control explicitly on each implementing object type/field. For users unable to upgrade immediately, a workaround involves manually copying access control directives from interface types/fields to their implementing object types/fields without removing them from the interfaces, ensuring that the supergraph schema retains the necessary access control metadata. Organizations not using Apollo Router's access control features or not applying directives on interface types/fields are not impacted. While no known exploits are currently reported, the vulnerability's nature and CVSS score of 7.5 (high severity) indicate a significant risk if left unpatched.

For European organizations leveraging Apollo Federation for GraphQL API composition, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk of unauthorized data access. Attackers can bypass access controls and retrieve sensitive information by exploiting the flaw, potentially exposing confidential business data, personal information, or intellectual property. This can lead to regulatory compliance violations under GDPR due to unauthorized data disclosure. The impact is particularly critical for sectors relying heavily on GraphQL APIs for internal or customer-facing services, such as finance, healthcare, telecommunications, and e-commerce. The vulnerability affects confidentiality but not integrity or availability, meaning data can be read without authorization but not altered or deleted. Since exploitation requires no authentication or user interaction, the attack surface is broad, increasing the likelihood of exploitation in environments with exposed Apollo Router endpoints. The absence of known exploits in the wild suggests that proactive patching can prevent incidents. However, failure to address this vulnerability could lead to data breaches, reputational damage, and potential financial penalties for affected European entities.

European organizations should prioritize upgrading Apollo Federation to versions 2.9.5, 2.10.4, 2.11.5, or 2.12.1 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed by disallowing user-defined access control directives on interface types/fields. For environments where immediate upgrading is not feasible, manually replicate all access control directives from interface types/fields to each implementing object type/field to ensure enforcement consistency. Do not remove directives from interface types/fields during this process to maintain schema integrity. Additionally, audit GraphQL schemas to identify any use of access control directives on interfaces and verify that access control policies are correctly applied on concrete types. Implement strict network segmentation and firewall rules to restrict access to Apollo Router endpoints, minimizing exposure to untrusted networks. Enable detailed logging and monitoring of GraphQL queries to detect anomalous or suspicious access patterns indicative of exploitation attempts. Incorporate regular security reviews of API composition configurations and access control policies as part of the software development lifecycle. Finally, educate development and security teams about the nuances of access control in GraphQL federation architectures to prevent similar misconfigurations.