Overview
This report discusses the critical vulnerability CVE-2025-52574, affecting the system monitor HTTP service, SysmonElixir. The vulnerability could allow potential attackers unauthorized access to sensitive system files, potentially leading to system compromise or data leakage. The implications of this vulnerability are significant, as it directly impacts the security of systems running vulnerable versions of SysmonElixir.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-52574
Severity: High (CVSS: 7.5)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Unauthorized access to sensitive system files potentially leading to system compromise or data leakage.
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
SysmonElixir | Prior to 1.0.1
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability lies in the /read HTTP endpoint of SysmonElixir. In versions prior to 1.0.1, this endpoint allows unrestricted reading of any file from the server’s /etc/passwd directory by default. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted HTTP request to read sensitive files, leading to potential system compromise or data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
A conceptual example of exploiting this vulnerability could be an HTTP GET request to the /read endpoint, like this:
GET /read?file=/etc/passwd HTTP/1.1
Host: vulnerable.server.com
Solution
The vulnerability has been patched in SysmonElixir version 1.0.1, which adds a whitelist that limits reading to only files under priv/data. Users are strongly advised to update to the latest version of SysmonElixir. In cases where immediate patching is not possible, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can be used as temporary mitigation, configured to block or alert on HTTP requests to the /read endpoint.

