CVE-2025-1472 in Mattermost
Summary
by MITRE • 03/19/2025
Mattermost versions 9.11.x <= 9.11.8 fail to properly perform authorization of the Viewer role which allows an attacker with the Viewer role configured with No Access to Reporting to still view team and site statistics.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/19/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-1472 affects Mattermost server versions 9.11.x through 9.11.8, specifically targeting the authorization mechanisms governing the Viewer role within the platform's access control system. This represents a critical flaw in the privilege management architecture where the system fails to properly enforce role-based access controls, creating an unexpected access path that bypasses intended security boundaries.
The technical flaw manifests in the improper implementation of authorization checks for the Viewer role, which should normally restrict users to minimal access permissions while preventing them from viewing sensitive operational data. The vulnerability specifically impacts scenarios where Viewer roles are configured with "No Access to Reporting" permissions yet can still access team and site statistics. This authorization bypass occurs due to inadequate validation of role permissions during data retrieval operations, allowing unauthorized access to operational metrics and analytics that should remain restricted to higher-privileged users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure, as it enables attackers with Viewer roles to gather intelligence about team structures, user activity patterns, and system performance metrics that could inform more sophisticated attacks. The ability to access team and site statistics provides insights into organizational hierarchy, user engagement levels, and system utilization that could be leveraged for social engineering, targeted attacks, or competitive intelligence gathering. This vulnerability undermines the principle of least privilege and creates a potential pathway for attackers to escalate their access within the system.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability aligns with CWE-285, which addresses improper authorization in software systems, and reflects patterns commonly seen in privilege escalation vulnerabilities within collaboration platforms. The issue demonstrates how role-based access control implementations can fail when proper permission boundaries are not enforced during data access operations. Organizations using Mattermost should prioritize immediate remediation through version upgrades to 9.11.9 or later, which contain the necessary authorization fixes. Additionally, implementing network segmentation, monitoring for unusual statistical data access patterns, and regular access control reviews can help mitigate the risk while awaiting patch deployment. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of comprehensive testing of access control mechanisms, particularly in systems where multiple roles with varying permission levels interact with shared data resources, as outlined in ATT&CK framework category T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting through social engineering.