Flash Notice: CVE-2025-24989 - Microsoft Power Pages Improper Access Control Vulnerability

overview

CVE-2025-24989 is a critical improper access control vulnerability in Microsoft Power Pages, a low-code SaaS platform for creating and managing business websites. This vulnerability allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges over a network, potentially bypassing user registration controls.

Description and Impact

• The vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms in Power Pages, enabling attackers to bypass standard user registration controls and gain elevated privileges.
• Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, manipulation or deletion of critical information, and potential disruption of organizational operations.
• Attackers with network access can exploit this vulnerability to elevate their privileges and potentially access restricted areas of the application.

Affected Products and Versions

• Impacted Software: Microsoft Power Pages – a low-code SaaS platform for building business websites.
• Vulnerable Versions: Specific vulnerable versions have not been disclosed publicly. However, all unpatched instances of Power Pages prior to the official security update may be affected.
• Patched Versions: Microsoft has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Users are advised to ensure their Power Pages environments are up to date with the latest patches and security configurations.

Current Threat Status

• The vulnerability has been actively exploited in the wild.
• Specific attack techniques are not detailed in the search results. However, the vulnerability allows attackers to bypass user registration controls and elevate privileges.
• No specific industries or sectors are mentioned as being targeted.

Microsoft has already mitigated the vulnerability in the service and notified all affected customers. Affected customers have been provided with instructions on reviewing their sites for potential exploitation and clean-up methods. Organizations that have not been notified are not affected by this vulnerability.

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IOCs ADDED TO OUR THREAT FEEDS

At this time, there are no confirmed IoCs associated with the successful exploitation of CVE-2025-24989. Microsoft and security researchers are actively investigating this vulnerability, which has been reported as exploited in the wild.

While specific IoCs are not currently available, Microsoft has stated that they have mitigated the vulnerability at the service level and notified affected customers directly. Affected customers have been provided with instructions on how to review their sites for potential exploitation and perform necessary clean-up procedures.

TTPs TO MONITOR

Based on the nature of CVE-2025-24989, the following MITRE ATT&CK Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) could potentially be associated with this vulnerability:

Initial Access

• T1190 - Exploit Public-Facing Application: The attacker could exploit the Power Pages platform, which is likely publicly accessible, to initiate the attack.

Privilege Escalation

• T1068 - Exploitation for Privilege Escalation: The core of this vulnerability allows an unauthorized attacker to elevate privileges, directly aligning with this technique.
• T1078 - Valid Accounts: If the security key is compromised, attackers can use valid credentials to maintain access and further exploit the system

Defense Evasion

• T1548 - Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism: The attacker may bypass user registration controls, which could be considered a form of abusing elevation control mechanisms.

Persistence

• T1505.003 - Web Shell: After exploiting the vulnerability, the attacker might attempt to install a web shell for persistent access to the compromised Power Pages site.

Lateral Movement

• T1021 - Remote Services: With elevated privileges, the attacker could potentially use remote services to move laterally within the network.

Discovery

• T1082 - System Information Discovery: Once access is gained, the attacker might gather system information to understand the environment and plan further actions.

Collection

• T1530 - Data from Cloud Storage Object: Given that Power Pages is a cloud-based platform, the attacker might attempt to access and collect data stored in associated cloud storage.

It's important to note that these TTPs are potential techniques based on the nature of the vulnerability. The actual techniques used in exploits may vary and have not been explicitly confirmed in the provided information.

recommendations

1. If you are a Microsoft Power Pages user and have not been notified by Microsoft, your instance is likely not affected by this vulnerability.
   
   
2. For those who have been notified:
   • Review user access logs for any signs of unauthorized access or suspicious activity.
   • Check for any unauthorized privilege escalations.
   • Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for enhanced security.
     
     
3. Keep your Microsoft Power Pages installations up-to-date with the latest security patches.
   
   
4. Monitor official Microsoft security advisories and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog for any updates regarding this vulnerability.

additional information

Immediate Mitigation

• Review Power Pages site permissions and access controls:
  • Go to the Power Pages Design Studio and open the Security workspace.
  • Audit and restrict user roles, especially those with elevated privileges.
  • Ensure proper authentication mechanisms are in place for all user registrations.
• Temporarily disable public access to Power Pages sites if not strictly necessary:
  • In the Power Pages admin center, set site visibility to "Internal" instead of "Public" until the vulnerability is fully addressed.

Patch and Monitor Systems

• Microsoft has already mitigated this vulnerability at the service level.
• If notified by Microsoft:
  • Follow the provided instructions to review sites for potential exploitation.
  • Implement the recommended clean-up methods.
• If not notified, your system is likely unaffected, but remain vigilant3.
• Monitor Microsoft's security advisories for any additional patches or recommendations.

Network Security

• Implement robust logging and monitoring for Power Pages sites:
  • Enable and review audit logs for suspicious activities, especially related to user registrations and privilege changes.
• Enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all Power Pages user accounts.
• Integrate Power Pages with a web application firewall (WAF) like Azure Front Door for additional protection against common web attacks.
• Conduct a thorough security scan of your Power Pages sites:
  • Use the built-in Security Scan feature in the Power Pages Design Studio to detect and address common security threats like cross-site scripting (XSS).

Additional Security Measures

• Review and update HTTPS/TLS configurations to ensure secure data transmission.
• Utilize Azure Key Vault for secure management of encryption keys and secrets.
• Regularly review and update table permissions and page permissions to maintain the principle of least privilege.
• Implement and review CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) settings to restrict unauthorized domain access.

Organizations should remain vigilant and continue to monitor Microsoft's official channels for any updates or additional guidance regarding this vulnerability.

ADDITIONAL SERVICE OFFERINGS

Threat Detection & Response (TDR):

Avertium's TDR service is crucial for detecting and responding to potential exploitation of the Power Pages vulnerability. It integrates all aspects of security operations into an XDR-informed threat detection and response system, which is essential for identifying unauthorized privilege escalation attempts. The service can help monitor for suspicious activities related to user registration controls and privilege changes in Power Pages environments.

Microsoft Security Solutions:

Given that this vulnerability affects a Microsoft product, Avertium's specialized Microsoft Security Solutions are highly relevant. This service evaluates security maturity for safe deployment of Microsoft products and analyzes existing environments to maximize Microsoft security investments. For CVE-2025-24989, it can help:

• Assess the current security posture of Power Pages implementations
• Implement enhanced monitoring for privilege escalation attempts
• Optimize security configurations to prevent unauthorized access

Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC):

Avertium's GRC services can help organizations align their Power Pages usage with regulatory requirements and internal security policies. This is particularly important for:

• Conducting compliance audits to ensure proper access controls are in place
• Implementing enterprise risk management strategies to mitigate the impact of potential exploits
• Aligning security practices with regulations to prevent unauthorized data access

Attack Surface Management (ASM):

ASM services from Avertium can help identify and mitigate vulnerabilities within an organization's IT infrastructure, including Power Pages implementations. This service is crucial for:

• Continuous monitoring of the attack surface to detect potential exploitation attempts
• Accelerating and optimizing the process of identifying and addressing vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-24989
• Conducting regular assessments to prevent blind spots in Power Pages security

By leveraging these Avertium services, organizations can significantly enhance their ability to detect, prevent, and respond to potential exploits of the Power Pages vulnerability, ensuring a more robust and proactive security posture.

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