Overview
CVE-2025-52159 is a critical vulnerability that has been identified in the default configuration of PPress 0.0.9, a widely used content management system. This vulnerability arises due to hardcoded credentials that are embedded in the system’s default settings. As a result, an unauthorized party could potentially exploit these credentials to gain access to the system, leading to possible system compromise or data leakage. This poses a significant risk to organizations that use PPress, as it opens up potential avenues for cyber threats and unauthorized data access.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-52159
Severity: Critical (8.8 CVSS score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
PPress | 0.0.9
How the Exploit Works
The exploit works by taking advantage of the hardcoded credentials in the default configuration of PPress 0.0.9. An attacker can use these credentials to gain unauthorized access to the system. Once inside, the attacker has the potential to perform a variety of malicious activities, ranging from data theft to system compromise.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited, using a simple HTTP request:
GET /admin/login HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Authorization: Basic {base64 encoded hardcoded credentials}In this example, an attacker uses the hardcoded credentials, which are base64 encoded, to send a GET request to the admin login page. If successful, this would grant the attacker administrative access to the system, enabling them to perform a variety of malicious actions.
Mitigation and Prevention
Given the severity of this vulnerability, it is strongly recommended that users of PPress 0.0.9 apply the vendor patch as soon as possible to mitigate the risk. In the interim, users can implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) as a temporary mitigation measure. These systems can help detect and prevent unauthorized access attempts, thereby reducing the potential impact of the vulnerability.
