CVE-2025-9568 is a Reflected Cross-site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the Sunnet eHRD CTMS (Clinical Trial Management System). This vulnerability arises due to improper neutralization of input during web page generation, classified under CWE-79. Specifically, the system fails to adequately sanitize user-supplied input before reflecting it back in web responses, allowing an unauthenticated remote attacker to inject and execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of a victim user's browser. The attack vector involves phishing techniques where the attacker crafts malicious URLs or payloads that, when clicked by a user, trigger the execution of the injected script. This can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, unauthorized actions on behalf of the user, or redirection to malicious sites. The vulnerability affects version 0 of the product, with no patches currently available. The CVSS v4.0 base score is 5.1, indicating a medium severity level. The vector metrics show that the attack requires no privileges and no authentication but does require user interaction (clicking a malicious link). The vulnerability does not impact confidentiality, integrity, or availability directly but poses a significant risk to user trust and security through client-side exploitation. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the presence of phishing as an attack vector increases the likelihood of exploitation in targeted campaigns.

For European organizations using Sunnet eHRD CTMS, this vulnerability poses a moderate risk primarily to end users who interact with the system via web browsers. Successful exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to user sessions, exposure of sensitive clinical trial data, or manipulation of user actions within the CTMS. Given the sensitive nature of clinical trial management, such breaches could compromise patient confidentiality, violate GDPR regulations, and damage organizational reputation. Additionally, attackers could leverage this vulnerability to conduct broader phishing campaigns targeting healthcare professionals and researchers, potentially leading to further credential compromise or lateral movement within organizational networks. The impact is heightened in environments where multi-factor authentication is not enforced or where users have elevated privileges within the system. However, since the vulnerability requires user interaction and does not allow direct system compromise, the overall impact is contained but still significant in the healthcare and clinical research sectors.

To mitigate this vulnerability effectively, European organizations should implement the following specific measures: 1) Immediately restrict access to the affected Sunnet eHRD CTMS instance to trusted users and networks, employing network segmentation and firewall rules to limit exposure. 2) Educate users, especially clinical staff and researchers, about phishing risks and the importance of verifying URLs before clicking links. 3) Deploy web application firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block reflected XSS attack patterns targeting the CTMS. 4) Implement Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to restrict the execution of unauthorized scripts in browsers accessing the CTMS. 5) Enforce strict input validation and output encoding on all user-supplied data within the application, coordinating with Sunnet for patches or updates. 6) Monitor logs and user activity for suspicious behavior indicative of XSS exploitation attempts. 7) Encourage the use of multi-factor authentication to reduce the impact of session hijacking. 8) Plan for rapid patch deployment once Sunnet releases a fix, including testing in staging environments to ensure compatibility.