CVE-2025-68385 is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79 that affects Elastic Kibana versions 7.0.0 through 9.2.0. The vulnerability arises from improper neutralization of input during web page generation within the Vega visualization component. Specifically, an authenticated user can embed malicious JavaScript code into content served by Kibana, bypassing previous Vega XSS mitigations. This vulnerability allows the execution of arbitrary scripts in the context of other users' browsers when they view the compromised content, potentially leading to session hijacking, data theft, or unauthorized actions within the Kibana interface. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.2, indicating high severity, with an attack vector over the network, low attack complexity, no privileges required, and no user interaction needed. The scope is changed, meaning the vulnerability can affect components beyond the initially vulnerable module. No public exploits or active exploitation in the wild have been reported as of the publication date. Elastic Kibana is widely used for data visualization and operational monitoring, often in environments handling sensitive or critical data, making this vulnerability significant. The lack of available patches at the time of reporting necessitates immediate attention to mitigation strategies to reduce exposure.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of data visualized and managed through Kibana dashboards. Attackers exploiting this XSS flaw could execute malicious scripts in the browsers of other authenticated users, potentially stealing session tokens, manipulating displayed data, or performing unauthorized actions within Kibana. This can lead to data leakage, unauthorized access to sensitive operational information, and disruption of monitoring activities. Organizations relying on Kibana for critical infrastructure monitoring, financial data analysis, or compliance reporting may face regulatory and operational consequences if exploited. The vulnerability's network accessibility and lack of required user interaction increase the likelihood of exploitation in multi-user environments. Although no active exploits are known, the presence of this vulnerability in widely deployed Kibana versions means European entities must act swiftly to prevent potential attacks, especially those in sectors like finance, energy, and government where Kibana is commonly used.

1. Monitor Elastic's official channels for patches addressing CVE-2025-68385 and apply updates promptly once available. 2. Until patches are released, restrict Kibana access to trusted users only and enforce the principle of least privilege, limiting authenticated user capabilities to reduce the risk of malicious script injection. 3. Implement strict input validation and sanitization on all user-generated content within Kibana, especially in Vega visualizations, to prevent injection of malicious scripts. 4. Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in Kibana web pages. 5. Use web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block suspicious payloads targeting Vega components. 6. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on Kibana deployments to identify and remediate potential injection points. 7. Educate users about the risks of XSS and encourage reporting of unusual Kibana behavior. 8. Consider isolating Kibana instances or using network segmentation to limit exposure in case of compromise.