CVE-2025-4049 Overview
CVE-2025-4049 is a hardcoded credentials vulnerability in SIGNUM-NET FARA affecting all versions through 5.0.80.34. The application embeds identical SQLite database credentials across every installation. A local attacker who obtains the credentials can read and manipulate the local-stored database contents. The flaw is tracked under CWE-798: Use of Hard-coded Credentials and was published by CERT Poland.
Critical Impact
Any local user with access to the FARA installation can decrypt the SQLite database, exposing and modifying sensitive application data without authentication.
Affected Products
- SIGNUM-NET FARA through version 5.0.80.34
- All FARA installations sharing the embedded SQLite credential
- Local SQLite database files managed by FARA
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-07-21 - CVE-2025-4049 published to NVD by CERT Poland
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-4049
Vulnerability Analysis
FARA ships with SQLite database credentials embedded in the application binary or configuration. The same credential value is reused across every deployment of the product. An attacker who extracts the credential from one installation can reuse it against any other FARA installation. The vulnerability requires local access but no prior authentication or user interaction.
The issue falls under the Hardcoded Credentials class of configuration and design flaws. Because the credential protects an encrypted or access-controlled SQLite store, its compromise removes the only authentication boundary protecting the data at rest. Successful exploitation grants attackers full read and write access to the local database file.
Root Cause
The root cause is the storage of a static SQLite credential within the FARA distribution. Developers reused a single secret across all builds rather than generating per-installation credentials during setup. Reverse engineering or static inspection of the application reveals the credential to anyone with access to the binary.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires local access to a system running FARA or access to a copy of the FARA application. The attacker extracts the static credential from the binary or configuration files. Using the credential, the attacker opens the SQLite database directly with any standard client. Read access exposes stored records, while write access enables tampering with application state and integrity.
No working exploit code has been published. Technical details are described in the CERT Poland advisory for CVE-2025-4049.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-4049
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected SQLite client processes (sqlite3, DB Browser) opening FARA database files
- File access events on the FARA SQLite database from accounts that do not run the FARA application
- Modification timestamps on the FARA database changing outside normal application use
- Copies of the FARA database file appearing in user directories or removable media
Detection Strategies
- Monitor file system access to FARA installation directories and database files
- Alert on non-FARA processes invoking SQLite libraries against FARA database paths
- Baseline normal database write patterns and flag deviations
- Audit endpoints for unauthorized FARA binary copies that could be used for offline credential extraction
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable file integrity monitoring on the FARA database and binary paths
- Forward file access and process execution telemetry to a central SIEM for correlation
- Review local user activity on workstations running FARA for signs of database inspection tools
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-4049
Immediate Actions Required
- Inventory all systems running SIGNUM-NET FARA versions through 5.0.80.34
- Restrict local logon and file system permissions on hosts running FARA to required users only
- Apply operating system access controls so the SQLite database file is readable only by the FARA service account
- Contact SIGNUM-NET for a fixed release and apply it once available
Patch Information
At the time of NVD publication, no fixed version had been listed in the advisory. Refer to the CERT Poland CVE-2025-4049 post and the FARA vendor site for current patch availability. Any vendor-supplied update should rotate the embedded credential to a per-installation secret generated during deployment.
Workarounds
- Place FARA database files on encrypted volumes with access limited to the application service account
- Remove local administrative rights from users who do not require them on FARA hosts
- Isolate FARA workstations on segmented networks to limit lateral access to database files
- Monitor and log all access to the FARA database file path until a vendor patch is applied
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
