CVE-2025-63314: Acora CMS Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-63314 Overview

A static password reset token vulnerability has been identified in the password reset function of DDSN Interactive Acora CMS version 10.7.1. This authentication bypass flaw allows attackers to arbitrarily reset user passwords and execute complete account takeover through replay attacks. The use of a predictable, non-unique token in the password reset workflow creates a severe security risk for all user accounts within affected deployments.

Critical Impact

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to any user account, including administrative accounts, by intercepting and replaying static password reset tokens, leading to complete system compromise.

Affected Products

• DDSN Interactive Acora CMS v10.7.1
• Password reset functionality in Acora CMS

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-01-12 - CVE-2025-63314 published to NVD
• 2026-01-13 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-63314

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability exists due to the implementation of a static password reset token within the Acora CMS password recovery mechanism. When a user requests a password reset, the application generates a token that should be cryptographically random and unique per request. However, in this vulnerable implementation, the token remains constant or predictable across multiple reset requests.

The weakness is classified under CWE-640 (Weak Password Recovery Mechanism for Forgotten Password), which describes scenarios where password recovery processes can be exploited due to insufficient randomness or validation mechanisms.

An attacker who captures a valid password reset token—either through network interception, log file access, or prior knowledge of the token generation algorithm—can replay this token to reset any user's password without legitimate authorization. This attack requires no authentication and can be executed remotely over the network.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper generation of password reset tokens. Instead of generating cryptographically secure, random, single-use tokens for each password reset request, the Acora CMS application uses a static or insufficiently random value. This design flaw violates fundamental secure coding practices for authentication workflows, where tokens should be:

1. Cryptographically random and unpredictable
2. Unique per reset request
3. Time-limited with automatic expiration
4. Invalidated after single use

Attack Vector

The attack is network-based and can be executed remotely without any user interaction or prior authentication. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability through the following general approach:

1. Initiate a password reset request for a target user account
2. Intercept or predict the static password reset token
3. Use the captured token to complete the password reset process for any user
4. Gain full access to the compromised account

The vulnerability enables replay attacks where a single captured token can potentially be reused multiple times across different accounts or sessions, dramatically amplifying the attack surface.

A proof-of-concept for this vulnerability is available at the GitHub PoC repository for CVE-2025-63314. Security teams should review this resource to understand the exploitation mechanics.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-63314

Indicators of Compromise

• Multiple password reset requests originating from unexpected IP addresses or geographic locations
• Password reset completions for accounts where the legitimate user did not initiate a reset request
• Unusual patterns of password reset token usage, such as the same token being used multiple times
• Authentication logs showing successful logins following suspicious password reset activities

Detection Strategies

• Implement monitoring for password reset request anomalies, including volume spikes and unusual timing patterns
• Configure alerts for password reset attempts targeting administrative or high-privilege accounts
• Enable detailed logging of all password reset workflow steps, including token generation and validation events
• Deploy web application firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect replay attack patterns on authentication endpoints

Monitoring Recommendations

• Establish baseline metrics for normal password reset activity and alert on deviations
• Monitor for failed authentication attempts followed by successful password resets for the same accounts
• Implement real-time alerting for password reset token reuse or validation failures
• Review access logs for the password reset endpoints regularly for suspicious patterns

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-63314

Immediate Actions Required

• Audit current Acora CMS deployments to identify systems running version 10.7.1
• Implement additional authentication controls for the password reset workflow, such as email verification or security questions
• Monitor for signs of active exploitation using the detection strategies outlined above
• Consider temporarily disabling self-service password reset functionality until a patch is available

Patch Information

As of the last NVD update on 2026-01-13, no official vendor patch has been documented in the available references. Organizations should monitor the DDSN Interactive website and Acora CMS resources for security advisories and patch releases. Contact the vendor directly for guidance on remediation timelines.

Workarounds

• Disable the vulnerable self-service password reset functionality and require administrator-assisted password resets
• Implement network-level access controls to restrict password reset endpoint access to trusted IP ranges
• Add CAPTCHA or rate limiting to the password reset workflow to impede automated exploitation attempts
• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) to provide an additional layer of protection even if passwords are compromised
• Deploy a web application firewall with custom rules to detect and block replay attack patterns on authentication endpoints

# Example: Restrict access to password reset endpoint via web server configuration
# Apache configuration example
<Location "/password-reset">
    Order deny,allow
    Deny from all
    Allow from 192.168.1.0/24
    # Or enable additional security headers
    Header always set X-Content-Type-Options "nosniff"
    Header always set X-Frame-Options "DENY"
</Location>