Elastic has rolled out crucial security updates to address a critical vulnerability in Kibana, the data visualization dashboard for Elasticsearch. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-25012, holds a CVSS score of 9.9 out of 10 and involves prototype pollution. This flaw allows attackers to manipulate the JavaScript objects and properties within the application, potentially leading to unauthorized access, privilege escalation, denial-of-service attacks, and remote code execution. The vulnerability’s impact is serious, as it can enable attackers to compromise the functionality and security of Kibana. Systems using affected versions of Kibana are at high risk of exploitation, making this patch essential for protecting users.
The vulnerability affects all Kibana versions between 8.15.0 and 8.17.3, with the issue being resolved in version 8.17.3.
However, the exploit is only possible for users with specific roles and privileges. In versions 8.15.0 to 8.17.1, only users with the Viewer role are at risk, whereas versions 8.17.1 and 8.17.2 are vulnerable only when users possess certain privileges, including “fleet-all” and “actions:execute-advanced-connectors.” This means that while the vulnerability is serious, the risk can be minimized based on the specific user access levels. Nevertheless, the exploit allows attackers to upload specially crafted files and make malicious HTTP requests to execute arbitrary code, highlighting the importance of updating software promptly.
Elastic strongly recommends that users immediately apply the latest fixes to address this critical vulnerability.
If immediate patching is not possible, users should disable the Integration Assistant feature flag in the kibana.yml configuration file to reduce exposure. This vulnerability is part of a pattern, as Kibana has previously faced similar critical issues. For example, in August 2024, a prototype pollution vulnerability (CVE-2024-37287) was addressed with a CVSS score of 9.9. Additionally, two deserialization vulnerabilities discovered later in 2024, CVE-2024-37288 and CVE-2024-37285, also posed significant risks, with the potential for arbitrary code execution. These ongoing issues reflect the challenges that Kibana faces in maintaining secure, bug-free versions.
Cybersecurity experts urge Kibana users to prioritize the application of patches for all discovered vulnerabilities, as they represent significant security risks. In addition to patching, organizations should adopt best practices such as regularly auditing their systems and implementing monitoring tools to detect unusual activity. With multiple critical vulnerabilities discovered in Kibana, it is clear that keeping up with security updates is essential for maintaining the safety of systems. By following the guidance provided by Elastic, including regular updates and immediate fixes, users can reduce their exposure to potential threats. This proactive approach can help prevent attacks and ensure the integrity of the data visualization platform.
