CVE-2025-62198: Apache Atlas XSS Vulnerability

CVE-2025-62198 Overview

CVE-2025-62198 is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting Apache Atlas, an open-source metadata management and data governance platform. An authenticated user can inject malicious script content that executes in the browser context of other users interacting with the affected interface. The flaw is tracked under [CWE-80] (Improper Neutralization of Script-Related HTML Tags in a Web Page). Apache has released version 2.5.0 to remediate the issue.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary JavaScript in victim browsers, enabling session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized actions performed under the victim's privileges within Apache Atlas.

Affected Products

Apache Atlas 2.4.0
Apache Atlas versions prior to 2.4.0
Fixed in Apache Atlas 2.5.0

Discovery Timeline

2026-06-22 - CVE-2025-62198 published to NVD
2026-06-23 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-62198

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is a stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) flaw in Apache Atlas versions 2.4.0 and earlier. An authenticated user with low privileges can submit input containing script payloads that the application stores and later renders without proper neutralization. When other users view the affected content, the injected script executes in their browser session.

Apache Atlas serves as a metadata catalog for Hadoop ecosystems and stores user-supplied content across entity descriptions, tags, classifications, and glossary terms. Insufficient output encoding in one or more of these fields allows script-related HTML tags to be interpreted by the browser. Exploitation requires user interaction, and the resulting impact crosses security scopes because injected code runs with the privileges of the viewing user.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of script-related HTML tags, classified as [CWE-80]. The application accepts user-supplied input through authenticated endpoints and renders it back to other users without applying contextual output encoding. This permits HTML and JavaScript content to be parsed and executed by the browser rather than treated as inert text.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires the attacker to hold valid authenticated credentials with permission to write content into Apache Atlas. The attacker stores a crafted payload in a vulnerable field. A second user with access to the same Atlas instance must then load the page containing the payload, at which point the script executes. The exploit enables theft of session tokens, forced actions through the Atlas UI, and pivoting to internal data governance assets.

No verified public exploit code is available for this vulnerability. Technical details are described in the Apache Mailing List Thread and the Openwall OSS Security Discussion.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-62198

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP request bodies submitted to Apache Atlas REST endpoints containing <script>, javascript:, onerror=, or onload= substrings in entity attributes, classifications, or glossary fields.
Unexpected outbound requests from user browsers immediately after loading Atlas entity or search pages, indicating script-driven beaconing.
Atlas audit log entries showing entity or classification modifications from low-privilege accounts followed by access spikes from other authenticated users.

Detection Strategies

Inspect Apache Atlas application logs and reverse proxy logs for write requests containing HTML or JavaScript metacharacters in metadata fields.
Deploy Content Security Policy (CSP) reporting endpoints to capture in-browser script violations originating from the Atlas domain.
Correlate authentication events with unusual entity update patterns to identify accounts being abused to plant stored payloads.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose audit logging in Apache Atlas and forward records to a centralized log platform for retention and search.
Alert on creation or modification of entity descriptions, tags, or classifications containing angle brackets, event handlers, or encoded script sequences.
Monitor administrative and service account activity for unexpected sessions originating from browsers that recently rendered Atlas pages.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-62198

Immediate Actions Required

Upgrade Apache Atlas to version 2.5.0, which contains the official fix for CVE-2025-62198.
Audit existing entity metadata, classifications, tags, and glossary entries for stored payloads containing HTML or JavaScript before exposing the upgraded instance to users.
Review user accounts and revoke write permissions for accounts that do not require metadata modification rights.
Force password rotation and session invalidation for users who may have viewed malicious content on vulnerable versions.

Patch Information

Apache has released Apache Atlas 2.5.0 to address this vulnerability. Refer to the Apache Mailing List Thread for the official advisory and upgrade guidance. The EPSS score for this CVE is 0.315%.

Workarounds

Restrict write access to Apache Atlas metadata to a minimal set of trusted users until the upgrade can be completed.
Deploy a strict Content Security Policy at the reverse proxy or application layer to block inline script execution within the Atlas UI.
Place Apache Atlas behind a web application firewall configured to reject requests containing script tags or event handler attributes in metadata fields.

bash

# Example CSP header to mitigate inline script execution on Apache Atlas
# Configure at reverse proxy (nginx example)
add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; object-src 'none'; base-uri 'self'; frame-ancestors 'none'";
add_header X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff";
add_header X-Frame-Options "DENY";