Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
Kentico Xperience sites through 13.0.172 can be accessed without proper authentication through the Staging Sync Server digest authentication path. The impact is administrative control of objects, which can affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CISA KEV status means exploitation is confirmed in the wild.
Executive priority
Treat this as an urgent remediation item. It is critical severity, remotely reachable, requires no authentication, has public exploit material, and is listed by CISA KEV. Business risk is administrative compromise of affected Kentico sites.
Technical view
The issue is an authentication bypass in Kentico Xperience digest authentication handling for empty SHA1 usernames in the Staging Sync Server. It is rated CVSS 9.8 and affects Xperience through 13.0.172. Public technical and exploit references exist, but this assessment avoids reproduction details.
Likely exposure
Organizations running Kentico Xperience through 13.0.172 are the stated affected population. Exposure is highest where Staging Sync Server functionality or administrative surfaces are reachable from untrusted networks. The bundle does not provide asset prevalence or default exposure details.
Exploitation context
CISA KEV marks CVE-2025-2746 as known exploited. Public watchTowr and GitHub references indicate technical exploit material is available. The provided sources do not describe victim counts, specific campaigns, or exploitation timelines beyond the KEV signal.
Researcher notes
Focus validation on version confirmation, Staging Sync Server reachability, and post-compromise indicators around administrative object changes. Do not assume all Kentico products are affected; the bundle names Kentico Xperience through 13.0.172 only.
Mitigation direction
- Apply Kentico hotfix guidance for Xperience 13 immediately.
- Update any Xperience deployment through 13.0.172 to a fixed vendor-supported build.
- Prioritize internet-facing or externally reachable staging synchronization systems.
- Check Kentico guidance for any interim controls before patch completion.
- Track CISA KEV remediation expectations if your organization is in scope.
Validation and detection
- Inventory all Kentico Xperience deployments and record exact build versions.
- Confirm no production instance remains at or below 13.0.172.
- Verify Staging Sync Server exposure from internet and partner networks.
- Review administrative object changes for unexpected activity.
- Check logs for suspicious staging synchronization authentication activity.
Public sources used
Michael Williams reviewed this cited source version on .
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CWE-288: Exact CWE lookup
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Open ATT&CK lookupCredential and access behavior lookup
The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.
Open ATT&CK lookupCVE-2025-2746 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Critical
- CVSS
- 9.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- Yes
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CISA KEV status
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H3.95.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
9.8CriticalVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://labs.watchtowr.com/bypassing-authentication-like-its-the-90s-pre-auth-rce-chain-s-in-kentico-xperience-cms/CVE reference · technical-description, exploit
- https://devnet.kentico.com/download/hotfixesCVE reference · vendor-advisory, patch
- https://github.com/watchtowrlabs/kentico-xperience13-AuthBypass-wt-2025-0011CVE reference · exploit
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/kentico-xperience-staging-sync-server-digest-password-authentication-bypassCVE reference · third-party-advisory
- https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-2746CVE reference · government-resource
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.
Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel
Authentication Bypass Using an Alternate Path or Channel represents a recurring weakness pattern that can create exploitable paths when design, validation, or implementation controls are missing.