Overview
The CVE-2025-52353 vulnerability is a severe security flaw found in Badaso CMS version 2.9.11. This vulnerability enables an attacker to execute arbitrary system commands, leading to a full compromise of the underlying host. Given the severity of the possible impact, it’s crucial for organizations using Badaso CMS to understand this vulnerability and how it can be mitigated.
It primarily affects all systems running Badaso CMS 2.9.11. The significance of this vulnerability lies in its potential to allow authenticated users to bypass content-type validation and upload files with embedded PHP code. This could result in severe consequences, including system compromise or data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-52353
Severity: Critical (CVSS: 9.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: Low (Authenticated User)
User Interaction: Required
Impact: Full system compromise and potential data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Badaso CMS | 2.9.11
How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of the Media Manager in Badaso CMS 2.9.11, which fails to validate content-types correctly. This allows an authenticated user to upload a file containing embedded PHP code via the file-upload endpoint.
Once the file is uploaded, accessing the file via its URL causes the server to execute the embedded PHP code. An attacker could use this functionality to run arbitrary system commands, effectively taking control over the underlying system. This has been demonstrated by embedding a backdoor within a PDF, renaming it with a .php extension, and then uploading it to the server.
Conceptual Example Code
Here’s a conceptual example of how an attacker might exploit this vulnerability:
POST /file-upload HTTP/1.1
Host: vulnerable-cms.example.com
Content-Type: application/pdf
{ "file": "malicious_file.php",
"content": "<?php system($_GET['cmd']); ?>" }In this example, the attacker uploads a PDF file renamed with a .php extension and containing PHP code that enables arbitrary command execution.
Mitigation
In response to this vulnerability, users are urged to apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. If the patch cannot be applied immediately, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can be used as a temporary mitigation measure. These tools can help block or alert to any suspicious activities related to this vulnerability.
This vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation, particularly for file uploads. Regularly updating and patching software can also help protect systems from such potential threats. Organizations must remain vigilant and proactive in their cybersecurity efforts to guard against such vulnerabilities.