Overview
We are shining a spotlight on a critical vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-57819, which affects FreePBX, a widely-used open-source web-based graphical user interface. This vulnerability exposes versions 15, 16, and 17 of FreePBX, potentially enabling unauthorized individuals to manipulate databases and execute remote codes. This issue is of utmost concern due to FreePBX’s extensive user base and the profound consequences of a successful exploit, which could result in system compromise or data leakage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-57819
Severity: Critical (CVSS 9.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
FreePBX | 15 (before 15.0.66)
FreePBX | 16 (before 16.0.89)
FreePBX | 17 (before 17.0.3)
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability, CVE-2025-57819, arises from the insufficient sanitization of user-supplied data within FreePBX. An attacker can exploit this weakness by sending specially crafted HTTP requests containing malicious payloads to the server. The server, failing to adequately sanitize the input, may process the malicious data. This process can lead to unauthorized database manipulation, and in more severe instances, remote code execution. The exploit does not require any form of authentication or specialized privileges, making it easily exploitable and highly dangerous.
Conceptual Example Code
Here’s a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. This could be a sample HTTP request:
POST /admin/config.php HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{ "user": "admin", "pass": "'; DROP TABLE users; --" }In this example, an attacker sends a crafted JSON payload to the FreePBX admin login endpoint. The payload includes a SQL injection (‘; DROP TABLE users; –) within the password field. If the server fails to sanitize this input, it could lead to arbitrary database manipulation.
Mitigation
Users of FreePBX versions 15, 16, and 17 are urged to apply the vendor-provided patches (15.0.66, 16.0.89, and 17.0.3 respectively) as soon as possible to correct this critical vulnerability. In the interim, users may apply temporary mitigation methods such as deploying a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to monitor and block malicious traffic. Regular audits of server logs may also aid in identifying any unauthorized access attempts.
