CVE-2025-48869 in horilla
Summary
by MITRE • 09/24/2025
Horilla is a free and open source Human Resource Management System (HRMS). Unauthenticated users can access uploaded resume files in Horilla 1.3.0 by directly guessing or predicting file URLs. These files are stored in a publicly accessible directory, allowing attackers to retrieve sensitive candidate information without authentication. At time of publication there is no known patch.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/24/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-48869 affects Horilla version 1.3.0, a free and open source Human Resource Management System that serves as a platform for managing employee and candidate data. This security flaw represents a critical access control weakness that undermines the system's ability to protect sensitive information. The vulnerability stems from improper file access controls within the application's file storage architecture, where uploaded resume files are placed in directories that are accessible without authentication requirements. This design flaw creates a significant risk exposure for organizations using this HRMS platform, as it allows any attacker with basic knowledge of web application structure to directly access confidential candidate information simply by guessing or predicting file URLs.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the application's failure to enforce proper authentication checks when serving uploaded files. Files are stored in publicly accessible directories without any mechanism to verify user credentials or session validity before granting access. This misconfiguration allows attackers to enumerate file paths and directly request specific files through URL manipulation. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-284, which describes improper access control, and specifically relates to the weakness of insufficient access control in web applications. The attack vector is straightforward and requires minimal technical expertise, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by both skilled attackers and automated tools. The lack of any access restrictions means that all uploaded resume files remain accessible to unauthorized users, regardless of their relationship to the organization or their role within the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple information disclosure, as it exposes sensitive personal data of job candidates including their resumes, contact information, work history, and potentially other confidential details that organizations rely on maintaining securely. This represents a serious breach of privacy and data protection principles, particularly concerning the handling of personal information in accordance with regulations such as gdpr, ccpa, and other data protection frameworks. Organizations using Horilla 1.3.0 face potential legal and regulatory consequences, including fines and compliance violations, due to the exposure of candidate data without proper authorization. The vulnerability also undermines the trust that organizations place in their HRMS platforms and may result in reputational damage when sensitive candidate information is compromised. Attackers can systematically harvest candidate data, potentially using this information for identity theft, fraudulent job applications, or other malicious activities. The absence of any known patch at the time of publication leaves affected organizations with no immediate remediation options, forcing them to rely on temporary workarounds or immediate migration to patched versions.
Organizations currently affected by this vulnerability should implement immediate mitigations to protect their sensitive candidate data. The most effective immediate solution involves restricting access to the directory where uploaded files are stored through web server configuration changes or application-level access controls. This can be achieved by implementing proper authentication checks before file delivery, using secure file storage mechanisms, or moving uploaded files to directories that are not directly accessible via web requests. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough audits of their file storage systems to identify any other publicly accessible directories that may contain sensitive information. The implementation of URL randomization or token-based access mechanisms can provide additional protection against predictable file access patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls to monitor and block suspicious file access attempts, and establish logging mechanisms to detect unauthorized access to uploaded files. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to technique T1078 which involves valid accounts and T1566 which covers credential harvesting, though the specific threat actor behavior would depend on the exploitation method and target intent. The lack of a patch at publication time emphasizes the importance of proactive security measures and the need for organizations to maintain awareness of their software supply chain vulnerabilities.