What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-40554?

CVE-2025-40554 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 (Critical). CVSS vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. EPSS exploitation probability: 7.8%.

Is there a public PoC exploit available for CVE-2025-40554?

Yes, a public proof-of-concept exploit is available for CVE-2025-40554. Prioritise patching immediately. EPSS: 7.8%.

How to fix or mitigate CVE-2025-40554?

Within 24 hours: Identify all Web Help Desk instances in your environment and assess exposure; implement network segmentation to restrict access to trusted IPs only. Within 7 days: Deploy WAF rules to block suspicious action invocation patterns; enable enhanced logging and monitoring for Web Help Desk activity; disable non-essential helpdesk features if operationally feasible. Within 30 days: Establish daily vendor communication cadence for patch availability; evaluate alternative helpdesk solutions as contingency; conduct comprehensive audit of helpdesk access logs for signs of compromise.

Web Help Desk CVE-2025-40554

CRITICAL

Weak Authentication (CWE-1390)

2026-01-28 psirt@solarwinds.com

Authentication Bypass Web Help Desk Solarwinds

9.8

CVSS 3.1 · NVD

View

Vulnerability Assessment

Weakness	CWE CWE-1390 OWASP Top 10:2025 A07:2025 - Authentication Failures ASVS 5.0 V6 - Authentication Strong authentication
Impact	CVSS 9.8, EPSS 7.8%. Fourth critical WHD vulnerability. The pattern of four critical vulnerabilities suggests systemic security issues in the SolarWinds WHD codebase.
Exploit ScenarioDerived	An attacker uses this second auth bypass when the first (CVE-2025-40552) is patched, maintaining unauthenticated admin access to the helpdesk system.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Why: CRITICAL severity + public POC available.

No patch listed yet 7.8% exploitation probability (EPSS)

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AnalysisAIv1 – Mar 12, 2026

SolarWinds Web Help Desk has a second authentication bypass (EPSS 7.8%) providing yet another path to unauthenticated admin access.

Earlier versions of this analysis (1)

v1 Mar 12, 2026 - 21:54 CVSS 9.8

Second authentication bypass in SolarWinds WHD — fourth critical vulnerability.

RemediationAI

Patch all four vulnerabilities. Consider migrating to an alternative helpdesk solution given the systemic security issues.

Affects your stack

Find out whether the stacks and servers you run are on an affected version.

Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.

Technical ContextAI · show details

Another CWE-1390 weak authentication vulnerability in SolarWinds WHD, the fourth critical vulnerability in the series. Two deserialization RCEs and two auth bypasses make the application fundamentally insecure.

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Exploit and PoC references, threat intelligence from 22 sources

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Severity by source

NVD PRIMARY 9.8 CRITICAL

AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Primary rating from NVD · only source for this CVE.

CVSS VectorNVD

Attack Vector

Network

Attack Complexity

Low

Privileges Required

None

User Interaction

None

Scope

Unchanged

Confidentiality

High

Integrity

High

Availability

High

DescriptionCVE.org

SolarWinds Web Help Desk was found to be susceptible to an authentication bypass vulnerability that, if exploited, could allow an attacker to invoke specific actions within Web Help Desk.

Executive ViewAI

Why It Matters

A critical vulnerability (CVSS 9.8) in Web Help Desk enables attackers to execute unauthorized actions within the platform, potentially compromising all helpdesk operations and sensitive data. With no patch currently available and a 7.8% probability of active exploitation, immediate mitigation is required to prevent service disruption and unauthorized access to support tickets, user information, and system controls.

Business Impact: Severe

Compensating Controls

Implement IP whitelisting to restrict Web Help Desk access to internal networks only; deploy Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to monitor and block anomalous action requests; disable API integrations and automated action features until patch is available; enforce multi-factor authentication for all helpdesk administrative accounts; increase logging and real-time alerting for unauthorized action attempts; consider temporary isolation of Web Help Desk from external connectivity if operationally acceptable; establish read-only access mode for non-administrative users where possible.

Threat Intelligence Overview

EPSS Score

7.8%

Top 8% exploitable

Exploit

POC

Public exploit code exists

Data Quality

3 sources

Confidence: Low

NVD

CVE.org

EPSS POC (1)

How this decision was reached

The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.

SignalValue

Severity CRITICAL

CISA KEV No

Public POC Yes

EPSS 7.8%

Patch available No

Active threat No

Deciding rule

CRITICAL severity + public POC available

What every action level means

Emergency Immediate action required. Criteria: CRITICAL + in CISA KEV (actively exploited) without patch, OR CRITICAL + EPSS > 30% without patch, OR CRITICAL + active threat signals without patch.

Act Now Prioritize within 24-48h. Criteria: in KEV with patch available, OR CRITICAL + public POC, OR HIGH + EPSS > 10%, OR CRITICAL + active threat, OR any CRITICAL severity.

This Week Schedule remediation this week. Criteria: HIGH severity (CVSS 7.0-8.9). Patch within normal change window.

This Month Plan within 30 days. Criteria: MEDIUM severity (CVSS 4.0-6.9), lower exploitation probability. Include in regular patch cycle.

Monitor Track and reassess. Criteria: LOW severity (CVSS 0.1-3.9), minimal exploitation risk. No immediate action needed.

SSVC AssessmentENISA

SSVC Decision· derived

Out-of-Cycle

Exploitation· derived

Poc

System Exposure· derived

Open

Automatable· derived

Yes

Human Impact

Very High

Priority Score

Low Medium High Critical

KEV: 0

EPSS: +8

CVSS: +49

PoC: +20

Weaponized: 0

Threat intel: 0

Gov advisory: 0

Attack Technique

Authentication Bypass CRITICAL

Authentication bypass attacks exploit flaws in the verification mechanisms that control access to systems and applications.

Affected Products (CPE)CVE.org

cpe:2.3:a:solarwinds:web_help_desk:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More in Web Help Desk

View all

CVE-2025-40551 CRITICAL Emergency POC

9.8 Jan 28

SolarWinds Web Help Desk contains an unauthenticated Java deserialization vulnerability (CVE-2025-40551, CVSS 9.8) that

CVE-2025-40536 HIGH Act Now POC

8.1 Jan 28

SolarWinds Web Help Desk contains a security control bypass vulnerability (CVE-2025-40536) that allows unauthenticated a

CVE-2025-26399 CRITICAL Act Now POC

9.8 Sep 23

SolarWinds Web Help Desk contains an unauthenticated deserialization RCE via AjaxProxy, a patch bypass of both CVE-2024-

CVE-2025-40552 CRITICAL Act Now POC

9.8 Jan 28

SolarWinds Web Help Desk has an authentication bypass vulnerability (EPSS 9.9%) that allows unauthenticated attackers to

CVE-2024-28986 CRITICAL Act Now POC

9.8 Aug 13

SolarWinds Web Help Desk was found to be susceptible to a Java Deserialization Remote Code Execution vulnerability that,

CVE-2024-28987 CRITICAL Act Now POC

9.1 Aug 21

The SolarWinds Web Help Desk (WHD) software is affected by a hardcoded credential vulnerability, allowing remote unauthe

CVE-2025-40553 CRITICAL Act Now POC

9.8 Jan 28

SolarWinds Web Help Desk has a second deserialization vulnerability (EPSS 11.9%) providing another unauthenticated RCE p

CVE-2024-28988 CRITICAL Act Now

9.8 Sep 01

SolarWinds Web Help Desk was found to be susceptible to a Java Deserialization Remote Code Execution vulnerability that,

CVE-2026-28323 CRITICAL Act Now

9.8 Jul 30

Authentication bypass in SolarWinds Web Help Desk (WHD) allows remote unauthenticated attackers to circumvent SAML 2.0 s

CVE-2026-28299 HIGH This Week

7.5 Jun 02

Denial-of-service in SolarWinds Web Help Desk (2026.1 and all prior versions) lets remote unauthenticated attackers exha

CVE-2025-40537 HIGH This Week

7.5 Jan 28

SolarWinds Web Help Desk was found to be susceptible to a hardcoded credentials vulnerability that, under certain situat

CVE-2021-35243 HIGH This Week

7.5 Dec 23

The HTTP PUT and DELETE methods were enabled in the Web Help Desk web server (12.7.7 and earlier), allowing users to exe

Same weakness CWE-1390 – Weak Authentication

View all

CVE-2026-55040 CRITICAL POC

9.1

CVE-2024-34451 CRITICAL POC

9.1

CVE-2024-36787 HIGH POC

8.8

CVE-2026-93355 HIGH POC

7.6

CVE-2024-0822 HIGH POC

7.5

CVE-2026-73819 CRITICAL

9.3

CVE-2026-68067 CRITICAL

9.3

Same technique Authentication Bypass

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CVE-2015-3306 CRITICAL POC

10.0

CVE-2023-22515 CRITICAL POC

9.8

CVE-2012-4681 CRITICAL POC

9.8

CVE-2013-2465 CRITICAL POC

9.8

CVE-2011-3544 CRITICAL POC

9.8

CVE-2022-40684 CRITICAL POC

9.8

CVE-2025-61882 CRITICAL POC

9.8

CVE-2024-0012 CRITICAL POC

9.3

References

Advisories & patches

ADVISORY https://www.solarwinds.com/trust-center/security-advisories/CVE-2025-40554 REF https://documentation.solarwinds.com/en/success_center/whd/content/release_notes/whd_2026-1_release_notes.htm

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