Unchecked Microsoft Power Pages Vulnerability Experienced in Real-World Exploits
A significant security concern has arisen for federal enterprises and Microsoft Power Pages users, as a zero-day vulnerability (CVE-2025-24989) has been discovered and is currently being actively exploited. This vulnerability, which involves improper access control, could potentially grant unauthorized access to sensitive data or functionalities within the Power Pages environment.
Microsoft Power Pages, a low-code SaaS development platform for enterprise website-building, has been found to be affected by this high-severity vulnerability. The flaw allows attackers to escalate privileges and perform actions they should not be permitted to, posing a substantial risk to the security of affected systems.
The vulnerability requires certain functions like scanning and printer access to be enabled to be exploited. However, given active exploitation reports, it is imperative for patching and mitigation measures to be implemented as soon as possible.
Federal agencies have been given a deadline of March 14 to apply mitigations for CVE-2025-24989. Microsoft disclosed and patched the vulnerability on Wednesday, and affected customers have been notified by the tech giant. Affected customers have also been given instructions on reviewing their sites for potential exploitation and clean-up methods.
In light of this threat, it is strongly recommended that federal agencies and enterprises:
1. Apply the latest Microsoft security updates addressing CVE-2024989 immediately. 2. Review and tighten access controls and permissions in their Power Pages deployments. 3. Monitor for unusual activities indicative of exploitation attempts. 4. Follow best practices such as changing default passwords and verifying software integrity.
Additional security measures recommended by cybersecurity experts include reviewing activity logs, checking for unauthorized privilege escalations, and enforcing multifactor authentication for enhanced security.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has issued an alert on CVE-2025-24989's exploitation and added it to its known exploited vulnerabilities catalog. It is currently unknown whether the flaw has been weaponized in ransomware attacks, but given its potential impact, timely remediation is critical to reduce operational risk.
Cybersecurity Dive reached out to Microsoft for additional information on the exploitation activity, but no further details were provided at the time of publication.
In summary, CVE-2025-24989 is an actively exploited zero-day vulnerability in Microsoft Power Pages that enables improper access control, posing a consequential risk to federal enterprises by potentially allowing unauthorized system control and data compromise. Immediate patching and enhanced access management are essential to mitigate this threat.
- Given the active exploitation of CVE-2025-24989 in Microsoft Power Pages, it is crucial for federal agencies and enterprises to promptly apply the latest security updates provided by Microsoft.
- As a preventive measure, it is advisable for Power Pages users to carefully review and tighten their access controls and permissions to minimize potential breaches.
- To ensure optimal cybersecurity, organizations should actively monitor their system for signs of unusual activities that may indicate attempted exploitation of CVE-2025-24989.
