CVE-2025-68387 is a Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability classified under CWE-79 that affects Elastic Kibana versions 7.0.0, 8.0.0, 9.0.0, and 9.2.0. The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of input during web page generation, specifically within a function handler in the Vega Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) evaluator. This flaw allows an unauthenticated attacker to embed malicious JavaScript code into Kibana’s web interface content. When a user interacts with the compromised content, the malicious script executes in their browser context, potentially stealing session tokens, manipulating displayed data, or performing actions on behalf of the user. The vulnerability has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 6.1, indicating medium severity, with an attack vector of network (remote), no privileges required, but user interaction is necessary. The scope is changed, meaning the vulnerability can affect components beyond the vulnerable module. Confidentiality and integrity impacts are low, while availability is not affected. No patches or known exploits are currently reported, but the vulnerability is publicly disclosed and should be addressed promptly. The Vega AST evaluator is a component used for rendering complex visualizations in Kibana, making this vulnerability relevant to organizations relying on Kibana dashboards for monitoring and analytics.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-68387 can be significant in environments where Kibana is used to visualize sensitive operational or security data. Successful exploitation could lead to theft of user credentials or session cookies, enabling attackers to impersonate legitimate users and access restricted data or functionality. This can undermine data integrity by allowing attackers to manipulate displayed information or inject misleading content. While availability is not directly impacted, the loss of trust in data accuracy and potential unauthorized access could disrupt decision-making processes. Organizations in sectors such as finance, energy, telecommunications, and government that rely heavily on Kibana dashboards for real-time monitoring and incident response are particularly at risk. The vulnerability’s requirement for user interaction means phishing or social engineering could be used to trigger exploitation. Given the widespread use of Elastic Stack in Europe, this vulnerability poses a moderate threat to confidentiality and integrity of critical monitoring systems.

1. Monitor Elastic’s official channels for patches addressing CVE-2025-68387 and apply updates promptly once available. 2. Until patches are released, restrict access to Kibana interfaces to trusted internal networks and authenticated users only, minimizing exposure to unauthenticated attackers. 3. Implement strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to limit the execution of unauthorized scripts in Kibana web pages. 4. Conduct thorough input validation and sanitization on any user-supplied data that could be rendered in Kibana dashboards, especially those using Vega visualizations. 5. Educate users about the risks of interacting with suspicious links or content within Kibana dashboards to reduce the likelihood of triggering XSS payloads. 6. Employ web application firewalls (WAFs) with rules targeting common XSS attack patterns to detect and block malicious requests. 7. Regularly audit Kibana usage logs for unusual activity or access patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. 8. Consider isolating Kibana instances or using reverse proxies to add additional security layers and monitoring capabilities.