
Warning: Over 46,000 Grafana Instances Vulnerable to Account Takeover!
2025-06-15
Author: Sarah
Massive Security Risk Uncovered in Grafana Instances
Attention all Grafana users! An alarming security vulnerability has been discovered, affecting over 46,000 internet-facing instances of this popular open-source platform. The flaw allows attackers to execute a dangerous plugin leading to potential account takeovers.
What is CVE-2025-4123?
This serious vulnerability, known as CVE-2025-4123, impacts multiple versions of Grafana that are widely used for monitoring and visualizing data. The issue was uncovered by bug bounty hunter Alvaro Balada, prompting Grafana Labs to issue a critical security patch on May 21. However, new research from OX Security reveals that shockingly, more than a third of these Grafana instances have yet to be updated.
'The Grafana Ghost': A Threat You Can't Ignore!
Termed 'The Grafana Ghost' by cybersecurity experts, this vulnerability allows hackers to trick unsuspecting users into clicking malicious links. Once clicked, these devious links can load harmful plugins from a domain controlled by the attacker, executing arbitrary JavaScript on the victim’s browser.
How Does the Exploit Work?
No elevated privileges are required for this exploit to be successful, making it exceptionally dangerous. Attackers can hijack user sessions and change account credentials at will. Alarmingly, if the Grafana Image Renderer plugin is installed, they could even execute server-side requests to access internal resources!
Why Isn’t the Default Security Enough?
Although Grafana’s default Content Security Policy (CSP) offers some level of protection, it isn’t foolproof. The exploit can circumvent modern browser defenses by exploiting inconsistencies in how URLs are handled, allowing malicious scripts to be served that can easily alter user information and facilitate account takeovers.
A Call to Action for Grafana Admins!
With 128,864 Grafana instances exposed online—of which 46,506 are still vulnerable—now is the time to act! It's crucial for administrators to update to the latest secure versions (10.4.18+security-01, 11.2.9+security-01, and others listed in the advisory) to safeguard against this emergent threat.
Stay Safe and Secure!
Don’t let your Grafana instance become the next victim of cybercriminals. Update your systems immediately to protect against potential breaches and keep your data safe!