CVE-2025-14882 in pretix-offlinesales
Summary
by MITRE • 12/19/2025
An API endpoint allowed access to sensitive files from other users by knowing the UUID of the file that were not intended to be accessible by UUID only.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/20/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical access control flaw that undermines the fundamental security principles of user isolation and data protection within the affected system. The issue manifests through an API endpoint that fails to properly validate user permissions when processing requests based solely on file UUIDs, creating a path for unauthorized data access. The vulnerability stems from a lack of proper authorization checks that should occur regardless of how a resource is identified, demonstrating a classic failure in the principle of least privilege and mandatory access controls. According to CWE-285, this constitutes an improper authorization condition where the system grants access based on insufficient authentication mechanisms, allowing attackers to bypass normal access restrictions through predictable resource identifiers.
The technical implementation of this flaw enables attackers to exploit a predictable pattern in resource identification by simply knowing a valid UUID of a file belonging to another user. This type of vulnerability commonly arises from inadequate input validation and insufficient session management where the system relies too heavily on opaque identifiers rather than comprehensive access control matrices. The flaw essentially creates a directory traversal or enumeration attack vector where the UUID serves as a means of resource identification but not as a sufficient authorization mechanism. This pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which describes valid accounts being used to access resources, though in this case the vulnerability enables unauthorized access through a legitimate identifier without proper authentication. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by the fact that UUIDs are often generated in predictable patterns or can be guessed through enumeration techniques, making the attack surface significantly larger than initially apparent.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data exposure to encompass potential data integrity issues and privacy violations. When users can access files belonging to other users through UUID-based requests, the system fails to maintain proper data separation, potentially exposing sensitive information including personal data, business confidential information, or intellectual property. The vulnerability can be exploited by attackers who gain knowledge of valid UUIDs through various means such as network sniffing, logging, or through previous successful attacks that revealed such identifiers. The scope of damage depends on the sensitivity of the files accessible through this method and the volume of user data that can be accessed. This type of vulnerability can lead to compliance violations under regulations such as gdpr, hipaa, or pci dss where unauthorized data access constitutes a serious breach. Organizations may face significant financial penalties, legal consequences, and reputational damage when such vulnerabilities result in data exposure incidents.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both the immediate technical flaw and broader architectural security concerns. The primary fix involves implementing robust authorization checks that validate user permissions against the requested resource regardless of how the resource is identified, ensuring that each API request undergoes proper access control validation. This includes implementing proper session management, token validation, and user context verification before granting access to any resource. Organizations should also consider implementing rate limiting and monitoring for suspicious UUID-based access patterns to detect potential exploitation attempts. The solution must incorporate proper input sanitization and ensure that UUIDs are not used as the sole mechanism for access control decisions. Additionally, implementing automated testing for authorization checks during development and regular security assessments can help prevent similar issues from emerging in future releases. Security teams should also establish proper incident response procedures to quickly address any exploitation attempts and implement logging mechanisms to track unauthorized access attempts to sensitive resources.