Altium Enterprise Server (AES) – Security Vulnerability Overview
Product Name: Altium Enterprise Server (AES)
Product Type: On-premise collaboration and data management platform for Altium Designer
Affected Component: Web application services and backend database interaction
Impact Scope: Confidentiality, integrity, and session security of enterprise design data
Two high-risk vulnerabilities have been identified in Altium Enterprise Server that could allow database compromise and client-side code execution if left unpatched. These issues affect how user input is processed and stored within the application.
CVE-2025-27378 — SQL Injection Vulnerability
Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| CVE Name | CVE-2025-27378 |
| Vulnerability Type | SQL Injection |
| Affected Product | Altium Enterprise Server (AES) |
| Affected Version | 7.0.3 |
| Fixed Version | 7.0.6 and later |
| CVSS Score | 8.6 |
| Severity | High |
| Attack Vector | Network |
| Authentication Required | No |
| User Interaction | Not Required |
| Exploitability | High |
| Exploit Availability | Possible (educational / research context) |
Vulnerability Description
A SQL Injection vulnerability was identified in Altium Enterprise Server due to improper handling of user-supplied input within backend database queries. The vulnerability exists because certain application endpoints were not enforcing secure SQL parsing behavior, allowing crafted input to be interpreted as part of a database command.
When the vulnerable configuration is present, user input may be concatenated into SQL statements without proper parameterization. As a result, unintended SQL logic could be executed by the database engine.
Potential Impact
If successfully exploited, the following outcomes could occur:
- Unauthorized access to sensitive database records
- Exposure of intellectual property and project metadata
- Modification or deletion of stored data
- Possible authentication bypass depending on query context
- Service instability or partial denial of service
The impact largely depends on database permissions assigned to the application service account.
Exploitation Overview
Exploitation could be achieved by sending specially crafted input through affected web requests or API endpoints where validation is insufficient. This input could alter the structure of SQL queries executed by the server.
No step-by-step exploitation details are provided. Any publicly available proof-of-concept material should be treated strictly for educational and defensive testing purposes only and must never be used against systems without authorization.
MITRE Mapping
- CWE-89: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command
- ATT&CK Technique:
- T1190 – Exploit Public-Facing Application
- T1046 – Network Service Discovery (post-exploitation scenarios)
Detection & Monitoring Guidance
Recommended Log Sources
- AES application logs
- Web server access logs
- Database query and error logs
- Web Application Firewall (WAF) logs
- SIEM-aggregated authentication and request telemetry
Indicators of Suspicious Activity
- Repeated malformed or complex query strings in HTTP requests
- Unexpected SQL syntax errors returned by the application
- Sudden spikes in database read activity
- Unusual request patterns from single IP addresses
- Access to tables or records outside normal application behavior
Splunk Detection Rules
Suspicious SQL Keywords in Web Requests
index=web_logs
| where like(uri_query, "%select%")
OR like(uri_query, "%union%")
OR like(uri_query, "%insert%")
OR like(uri_query, "%delete%")
| stats count by src_ip, uri, uri_query
| where count > 5
Database Error Pattern Detection
index=db_logs
| where like(message, "%syntax error%")
OR like(message, "%SQLSTATE%")
| stats count by host, user
Remediation & Mitigation
- Immediate upgrade to a patched version is strongly recommended
- Exposure of AES services should be limited to trusted networks
- Database accounts should be reviewed for least-privilege access
- Historical logs should be reviewed for indicators of compromise
- Credentials and secrets should be rotated if compromise is suspected
Official Patch / Upgrade Link:
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-enterprise-server/security-advisories
CVE-2025-27380 — HTML Injection / Stored Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)
Basic Information
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| CVE Name | CVE-2025-27380 |
| Vulnerability Type | HTML Injection (Stored XSS) |
| Affected Product | Altium Enterprise Server (AES) |
| Affected Version | 7.0.3 |
| Fixed Version | Updated release per advisory |
| CVSS Score | 7.6 |
| Severity | High |
| Attack Vector | Network |
| Authentication Required | Yes (Low Privilege) |
| User Interaction | Required |
| Exploitability | Medium |
| Exploit Availability | Possible (educational context only) |
Vulnerability Description
A stored HTML injection vulnerability was discovered in the Project Release functionality of Altium Enterprise Server. User-supplied content was not being sufficiently sanitized before being stored and rendered in the web interface.
This allows HTML or script content to persist within the application and execute in the browser of any user who views the affected page.
Potential Impact
Successful exploitation could lead to:
- Session hijacking through stolen cookies
- Unauthorized actions performed as the victim user
- Redirection to malicious external resources
- Exposure of sensitive design data
- Reputational damage and loss of trust
The scope of impact is elevated when high-privileged users view affected content.
Exploitation Overview
An authenticated user could submit crafted HTML content into a Project Release field. When another user views the release, the injected content could be executed in the victim’s browser context.
Any proof-of-concept demonstrations must only be used in controlled test environments for awareness and defensive validation.
MITRE Mapping
- CWE-79: Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation
- ATT&CK Techniques:
- T1059 – Command and Scripting Interpreter
- T1557 – Man-in-the-Browser (follow-on impact)
Detection & Monitoring Guidance
Recommended Log Sources
- Web application submission logs
- Release creation and modification audit logs
- Web access logs
- Browser security telemetry (CSP violation reports)
Indicators of Suspicious Activity
- Presence of HTML tags in release descriptions
- Use of JavaScript event handlers in stored content
- Repeated access to a specific release page by multiple users
- Browser requests to unfamiliar domains originating from AES pages
Splunk Detection Rules
HTML Injection Indicators
index=web_logs
| where like(request_body, "%<script%")
OR like(request_body, "%onerror=%")
OR like(request_body, "%javascript:%")
| table _time, user, src_ip, uri
Repeated Viewing of Modified Releases
index=aes_audit_logs
| where action="view_release"
| stats count by release_id, user
| where count > 10
Remediation & Mitigation
- Immediate upgrade to the fixed AES version is required
- Input sanitization and output encoding must be enforced
- Content Security Policy (CSP) should be enabled where possible
- Permissions for release creation should be tightly controlled
- Session tokens should be invalidated if exploitation is suspected
Official Patch / Upgrade Link:
https://www.altium.com/documentation/altium-enterprise-server/security-advisories
Final Takeaway
- Both vulnerabilities pose a significant risk to enterprise design environments
- Patching is the only complete and reliable remediation
- Detection rules should be tuned to match normal application behavior
- Any testing or proof-of-concept activity must be conducted ethically and legally
