Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability in Progress Planner Progress Planner progress-planner allows Privilege Escalation
Description
Incorrect Privilege Assignment vulnerability in Progress Planner Progress Planner progress-planner allows Privilege Escalation
Remediation
Update to patched version immediately. Review user permissions and access controls.
Executive Summary:
A high-severity vulnerability has been identified in multiple DataSpider products, which could allow an attacker to trick the application into revealing sensitive information from the server's file system or internal network. Successful exploitation could lead to data theft, network reconnaissance, or a denial-of-service condition, posing a significant risk to data confidentiality and system availability.
Vulnerability Details
CVE-ID: CVE-2025-48006
Affected Software: DataSpider Multiple Products
Affected Versions: Specific versions of DataSpider Servista 4 are affected. See vendor advisory for a complete list of affected products and versions.
Vulnerability: The vulnerability is an Improper Restriction of XML External Entity reference, commonly known as an XXE injection. The application's XML parser improperly processes user-supplied XML input containing references to external entities. An unauthenticated remote attacker can submit a specially crafted XML payload to a vulnerable endpoint. The parser will resolve this external entity, which can be a local file on the server (e.g., configuration files, credentials) or a resource on the internal network. The contents of the requested resource may then be returned to the attacker within the application's response, leading to information disclosure or Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF).
Business Impact
This vulnerability is rated as High severity with a CVSS score of 8.2. Exploitation could have a significant business impact, including the exfiltration of sensitive corporate data, intellectual property, or customer information stored on the affected server. An attacker could also leverage this flaw for internal network reconnaissance by forcing the server to make requests to other internal systems, mapping the network architecture and identifying further targets. Furthermore, the vulnerability could be used to cause a denial-of-service, disrupting critical business processes that rely on the DataSpider platform.
Remediation Plan
Immediate Action: Identify all instances of vulnerable DataSpider products within the environment and apply the security updates provided by the vendor immediately. Prioritize patching for internet-facing systems. After patching, review application and system logs for any signs of past or ongoing exploitation attempts.
Proactive Monitoring: Monitor application and web server logs for suspicious XML payloads, particularly those containing DTDs (Document Type Definitions) and keywords such as
<!ENTITY,SYSTEM, orPUBLIC. Monitor for unusual outbound network connections originating from the DataSpider servers, which could indicate an SSRF attack. Implement file integrity monitoring on sensitive system files to detect unauthorized access by the application process.Compensating Controls: If immediate patching is not feasible, implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules designed to detect and block XXE attack patterns. If possible, configure the application's XML parser to disable DTD processing and disallow the resolution of external entities. Network segmentation can also limit the impact of an SSRF attack by preventing the compromised server from accessing critical internal network segments.
Exploitation Status
Public Exploit Available: false
Analyst Notes: As of September 29, 2025, there are no known public proof-of-concept exploits or active exploitation campaigns targeting this vulnerability. However, vulnerabilities of this type are well understood by attackers, and it is common for exploits to be developed shortly after a patch is released by reverse-engineering the security update.
Analyst Recommendation
Given the High severity (CVSS 8.2) of this vulnerability and its potential for severe data exfiltration, we strongly recommend that the organization prioritize the immediate application of the vendor-supplied security updates to all affected DataSpider systems. Although this CVE is not currently listed on the CISA KEV catalog, the risk of data breach and operational disruption is significant. Proactive patching is the most effective defense to fully mitigate this threat. If patching is delayed, compensating controls should be implemented as an interim measure.