CVE-2025-7044 is an improper privilege management vulnerability classified under CWE-269 affecting Ubuntu MAAS (Metal as a Service) versions 3.3.0 to 3.6.0. The flaw resides in the user websocket handler component, where an authenticated but unprivileged attacker can intercept and manipulate a user.update websocket request by injecting the is_superuser property with a value of true. The server-side logic fails to properly validate this input, allowing the attacker to bypass normal privilege checks and escalate their privileges to full administrator level. This vulnerability is exploitable remotely over the network without requiring user interaction beyond initial authentication. The CVSS 3.1 base score is 7.7 (high), reflecting the network attack vector, low attack complexity, and the requirement for low privileges but no user interaction. The scope is changed as the attacker gains administrative control, impacting confidentiality severely by exposing sensitive configuration and operational control of the MAAS deployment. Integrity and availability impacts are not directly indicated but could follow from administrative misuse. No patches or known exploits are currently reported, but the vulnerability poses a significant risk to organizations relying on MAAS for provisioning and managing physical servers and cloud infrastructure. The improper input validation highlights a critical security design flaw in the websocket handler's privilege management logic.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-7044 is substantial, particularly for those using Ubuntu MAAS to manage data center hardware or cloud infrastructure. An attacker exploiting this vulnerability can gain full administrative control over the MAAS deployment, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive infrastructure configurations, unauthorized provisioning or decommissioning of servers, and disruption of critical services. This could result in data breaches, operational downtime, and loss of trust. Since MAAS is often used in large-scale enterprise and research environments, the compromise could cascade into broader network and service disruptions. The confidentiality impact is critical as attackers can access and modify sensitive management data. Although integrity and availability impacts are not explicitly stated, administrative control inherently risks these areas through potential malicious actions. The vulnerability's network accessibility and low complexity of exploitation increase the likelihood of targeted attacks against European organizations with exposed MAAS deployments.

1. Monitor Ubuntu and Canonical security advisories closely and apply patches or updates for MAAS versions 3.3.0 through 3.6.0 as soon as they become available. 2. Until patches are released, restrict network access to MAAS websocket endpoints using firewall rules and network segmentation to limit exposure to trusted administrators only. 3. Implement strict authentication and authorization controls, including multi-factor authentication for MAAS administrative accounts, to reduce risk from compromised credentials. 4. Enable detailed logging and monitoring of websocket traffic and user.update requests to detect anomalous attempts to inject or modify the is_superuser property or other privilege escalation indicators. 5. Conduct regular security audits and penetration testing focused on privilege escalation vectors within MAAS deployments. 6. Educate administrators about this vulnerability and encourage vigilance for suspicious activity. 7. Consider deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) or intrusion detection systems (IDS) capable of inspecting websocket traffic for malicious payloads. 8. Review and minimize the number of users with access to MAAS and enforce the principle of least privilege.