Introduction
Attackers gaining administrative access to Elastic Cloud Enterprise (ECE) through a readonly account can create or delete users, escalate privileges, and disrupt managed Elasticsearch clusters. This scenario became a reality with CVE-2025-37736, a high-severity improper authorization vulnerability that affects a wide range of ECE deployments. Elastic Cloud Enterprise is a flagship orchestration platform from Elastic NV, a global leader in search and observability technology, used by enterprises to manage Elasticsearch clusters at scale across on-premises and hybrid environments. ECE's reach and integration into critical infrastructure make vulnerabilities in its access control mechanisms especially impactful for organizations relying on Elastic's stack for security, analytics, and business operations.
Technical Information
CVE-2025-37736 is rooted in improper authorization logic within Elastic Cloud Enterprise. The vulnerability allows the built-in readonly user to invoke a set of fifteen administrative API endpoints that should be restricted to privileged roles. These endpoints include operations for creating, modifying, and deleting service accounts, user accounts, and authentication keys. The readonly user is intended for audit and monitoring purposes, providing limited access for external integrations without administrative privileges. However, due to missing or incorrect authorization checks (CWE-863), this user could perform actions such as:
- Creating new service accounts:
POST:/platform/configuration/security/service-accounts - Deleting service accounts:
DELETE:/platform/configuration/security/service-accounts/{user_id} - Modifying service accounts:
PATCH:/platform/configuration/security/service-accounts/{user_id} - Creating and deleting service account keys:
POST:/platform/configuration/security/service-accounts/{user_id}/keys,DELETE:/platform/configuration/security/service-accounts/{user_id}/keys/{api_key_id} - Modifying the current user:
PATCH:/user - Creating new users:
POST:/users - Managing authentication keys:
POST:/users/auth/keys,DELETE:/users/auth/keys,DELETE:/users/auth/keys/_all,DELETE:/users/auth/keys/{api_key_id} - Deleting and modifying users:
DELETE:/users/{user_id}/auth/keys,DELETE:/users/{user_id}/auth/keys/{api_key_id},DELETE:/users/{user_name},PATCH:/users/{user_name}
The root cause is a failure to enforce role-based access control on these endpoints. An attacker with readonly credentials (often used for integrations and monitoring) could escalate privileges by creating new administrative accounts or keys, then use those to gain full control over the ECE environment. The attack requires only network access and valid readonly credentials, making it feasible for both external attackers (if credentials are leaked or stolen) and insiders. No public code snippets or PoC are available, and exploitation does not require user interaction beyond credential use. The technical impact includes compromise of ECE's confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as attackers can access logs, modify configurations, and disrupt services.
Patch Information
Elastic has addressed the improper authorization vulnerability in Elastic Cloud Enterprise (ECE) by releasing versions 3.8.3 and 4.0.3. These updates restrict the built-in readonly user from accessing APIs that should not be permitted, thereby preventing unauthorized privilege escalation.
To ensure the integrity of your ECE environment, it is crucial to upgrade to these patched versions. Additionally, administrators should audit their systems to identify any users or service accounts that may have been inadvertently created by the readonly user. Elastic provides a specialized tool to assist in this process, enabling the listing and potential deletion of such accounts. Exercise caution when removing accounts to avoid disrupting legitimate services.
For those unable to upgrade immediately, utilizing the provided tooling to identify and manage unauthorized accounts is a recommended interim measure. However, upgrading remains the most effective solution to fully mitigate the vulnerability.
Patch Reference:
Detection Methods
To effectively detect potential exploitation of the vulnerability in Elastic Cloud Enterprise (ECE) identified as CVE-2025-37729, organizations should implement the following monitoring and analysis strategies:
Log Analysis for Malicious Payloads:
Regularly inspect ECE request logs for specific indicators that may suggest exploitation attempts. Elastic recommends using the following search query to identify suspicious activity:
(payload.name : int3rpr3t3r or payload.name : forPath)
This query targets payloads containing the terms "int3rpr3t3r" or "forPath," which are indicative of malicious injection attempts. By filtering logs with this query, security teams can pinpoint and investigate anomalous requests that could signify an attack. (discuss.elastic.co)
Monitoring Deployment Plan Modifications:
Since the vulnerability exploits the processing of deployment plans within the ECE admin console, it's crucial to monitor for unauthorized or unexpected changes to these plans. Implement alerts for modifications that deviate from established change management procedures, especially those initiated by users with administrative privileges.
User Activity Auditing:
Conduct thorough audits of user activities, focusing on actions performed by accounts with administrative access. Look for patterns such as the creation of new users or service accounts, especially if these actions are performed by accounts that typically do not engage in such activities. This can help identify potential privilege escalation attempts or insider threats.
Anomaly Detection in Log Data:
Utilize anomaly detection tools to analyze log data for unusual patterns or behaviors. Machine learning models can be trained to recognize normal operational patterns and flag deviations that may indicate exploitation attempts. This proactive approach enhances the ability to detect zero-day attacks and sophisticated intrusion methods.
Integration with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Systems:
Integrate ECE logs with SIEM systems to centralize monitoring and correlation of events. This integration allows for real-time analysis and alerting, enabling swift response to potential security incidents. Ensure that the SIEM is configured to recognize the specific indicators associated with CVE-2025-37729.
Regular Review of Access Controls:
Periodically review and update access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel have administrative privileges. Implement the principle of least privilege to minimize the risk of exploitation by limiting access to critical systems and functions.
By implementing these detection methods, organizations can enhance their ability to identify and respond to potential exploitation of CVE-2025-37729, thereby strengthening their overall security posture.
Detection Reference:
Affected Systems and Versions
- Elastic Cloud Enterprise versions after 3.8.0 up to 3.8.2
- Elastic Cloud Enterprise versions after 4.0.0 up to 4.0.2
- All configurations of ECE using the built-in readonly user are vulnerable
Vendor Security History
Elastic has previously addressed similar privilege escalation and authorization issues in ECE, including:
- CVE-2024-37282 (privilege escalation, CVSS 8.1, patched June 2024)
- CVE-2023-31418 (authorization flaw, CVSS 7.5, patched October 2023)
Elastic's response to CVE-2025-37736 included prompt advisories, patched releases, and a cleanup tool. The company is recognized for responsible disclosure and generally timely patching, though repeated authorization issues in ECE indicate an area for ongoing improvement.
