Overview
The vulnerability CVE-2025-48869 pertains to the Horilla Human Resource Management System (HRMS), a widely-used free and open-source HRMS. The issue arises when unauthenticated users can gain access to uploaded resume files by merely guessing or predicting the file URLs. This vulnerability is significant as it could lead to data leakage and potential system compromise, negatively impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the sensitive data entrusted to the HRMS.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-48869
Severity: High (7.5)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System Compromise, Data Leakage
Affected Products
A new way to communicate
Ameeba Chat is built on encrypted identity, not personal profiles.
Message, call, share files, and coordinate with identities kept separate.
- • Encrypted identity
- • Ameeba Chat authenticates access
- • Aliases and categories
- • End-to-end encrypted chat, calls, and files
- • Secure notes for sensitive information
Private communication, rethought.
Product | Affected Versions
Horilla HRMS | 1.3.0
How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of the fact that the resume files are stored in a publicly accessible directory. An attacker does not require any authentication and can retrieve these files by directly predicting or guessing the file URLs. This vulnerability can result in the leakage of sensitive candidate information, which can be exploited for malicious purposes.
Conceptual Example Code
Below is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited using a simple HTTP GET request:
GET /resumes/jane_doe.pdf HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.comIn this example, the attacker attempts to access a resume file via a direct URL. If the file exists and the vulnerability is present, the server will return the requested file, potentially revealing sensitive candidate information.
Mitigation Guidance
At the time of publication, there is no known patch. As a temporary mitigation, it is recommended to use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS). These can help block or alert on attempts to access files directly. In the long term, it is advisable to apply a vendor patch once available.