CVE-2025-69618

Executive Summary

CVE-2025-69618 is a critical arbitrary file overwrite vulnerability discovered in the file import process of the "Tarot, Astro & Healing" application version 11.4.0. This flaw allows an authenticated or unauthenticated attacker (depending on the application's access controls) to overwrite critical internal files on the server. Successful exploitation could lead to arbitrary code execution (ACE) or the exposure of sensitive information, such as database credentials or user data. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of file paths during the import functionality, enabling path traversal or direct file overwrite attacks. No public proof-of-concept (PoC) or patch is currently available, making this a high-risk zero-day for affected deployments.

CVSS Breakdown & Threat Level

While a CVSS vector is not officially assigned, based on the description and potential impact, the following breakdown is estimated:

• Attack Vector (AV): Network (N) – Exploitable remotely.
• Attack Complexity (AC): Low (L) – No special conditions required.
• Privileges Required (PR): None (N) – May be exploitable without authentication.
• User Interaction (UI): None (N) – No user action needed.
• Scope (S): Unchanged (U) – Vulnerability affects the same security authority.
• Confidentiality (C): High (H) – Sensitive data exposure.
• Integrity (I): High (H) – File overwrite can corrupt system.
• Availability (A): High (H) – Overwriting critical files can cause denial of service.

Estimated CVSS Score: 9.8 (Critical)

Threat Level: Critical – Immediate attention required due to potential for remote code execution and data breach.

Deep Dive & Mechanics

The vulnerability resides in the file import module of the Tarot, Astro & Healing application. The import functionality likely accepts file paths or names from user input without proper sanitization. An attacker can manipulate the file path parameter to traverse directories (e.g., using ../) or specify absolute paths to overwrite files outside the intended upload directory.

Attack Flow:

1. The attacker identifies the file import endpoint (e.g., /import or /admin/import).
2. The attacker crafts a malicious request containing a file path like ../../config/database.php or ../../shell.php.
3. The application fails to validate the path, allowing the attacker to overwrite a critical configuration file or upload a web shell.
4. If a web shell is uploaded, the attacker can execute arbitrary commands on the server.

Root Cause: Lack of path canonicalization and insufficient checks on file extensions or destination directories.

Vulnerable vs. Patched Code

Since no patch is available, the vulnerable code is hypothetical but representative of the flaw:

Vulnerable Code (PHP Example):

<?php
$target_dir = "uploads/";
$target_file = $target_dir . basename($_FILES["file"]["name"]);
if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES["file"]["tmp_name"], $target_file)) {
    echo "File uploaded successfully.";
}
?>

Issue: The basename() function only strips directory components from the filename, but if the application uses a different parameter (e.g., filepath), it may not sanitize properly.

Patched Code (Hypothetical):

<?php
$target_dir = realpath("uploads/");
$target_file = $target_dir . '/' . basename($_FILES["file"]["name"]);
if (strpos(realpath($target_file), $target_dir) !== 0) {
    die("Invalid file path.");
}
if (move_uploaded_file($_FILES["file"]["tmp_name"], $target_file)) {
    echo "File uploaded successfully.";
}
?>

Fix: Uses realpath() to resolve the full path and checks that it starts with the intended directory.

Exploitation & Lab Setup

Red Team (Exploitation)

Lab Setup:

• Install Tarot, Astro & Healing v11.4.0 on a local server (e.g., XAMPP or Docker).
• Ensure the file import functionality is accessible.

Exploitation Steps:

1. Identify the import endpoint (e.g., http://target.com/import.php).
2. Craft a request to overwrite a critical file, such as config.php:

   curl -X POST -F "file=@malicious.php" -F "filepath=../../config.php" http://target.com/import.php
   

3. Alternatively, upload a web shell:

   curl -X POST -F "file=@shell.php" -F "filepath=../../shell.php" http://target.com/import.php
   

4. Access the web shell to execute commands:

   curl http://target.com/shell.php?cmd=id
   

Note: No public exploit code is available; this is a conceptual demonstration.

Blue Team (Defense)

Detection:

• Monitor file upload logs for unusual file paths (e.g., ../ or absolute paths).
• Use Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block path traversal patterns.
• Implement file integrity monitoring (FIM) on critical directories.

Mitigation:

• Disable the file import feature if not essential.
• Apply input validation and path canonicalization.
• Restrict file permissions to prevent overwriting critical files.

Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

• File Paths: ../../config.php, ../../shell.php, ../../wp-config.php (if WordPress).
• Network Traffic: POST requests to /import.php or similar endpoints with filepath parameters containing ../.
• Log Entries: Errors like "failed to open stream: No such file or directory" in application logs.
• File Hashes: Unknown web shells or modified configuration files.

Detection Engineering

YARA Rule

rule CVE_2025_69618_File_Overwrite {
    meta:
        description = "Detects attempts to exploit CVE-2025-69618 via path traversal in file uploads"
        author = "Valters IT"
        date = "2025-04-10"
    strings:
        $path_traversal = /\.\.\/[a-zA-Z0-9_\/]+\.(php|asp|jsp|aspx|py|pl|cgi)/ nocase
        $filepath_param = "filepath=" nocase
    condition:
        $path_traversal and $filepath_param
}

Sigma Rule

title: CVE-2025-69618 File Overwrite Attempt
id: 8f7b3c2a-1e5d-4f9a-8c6b-7d2e3f1a0b4c
status: experimental
description: Detects HTTP requests with path traversal patterns in file upload parameters
author: Valters IT
logsource:
    category: webserver
    product: apache
detection:
    selection:
        cs-method: 'POST'
        cs-uri-query|contains: 'filepath='
        cs-uri-query|re: '\.\.\/'
    condition: selection
falsepositives:
    - Legitimate file management tools
level: high

Suricata Rule

alert http any any -> any any (msg:"CVE-2025-69618 File Overwrite Attempt"; flow:to_server; content:"POST"; http_method; content:"filepath="; http_client_body; pcre:"/\.\.\/[a-zA-Z0-9_\/]+\.(php|asp|jsp|aspx|py|pl|cgi)/Ri"; sid:1000001; rev:1;)

Remediation & Mitigation

1. Immediate Action: Disable the file import feature in the application until a patch is released.
2. Input Validation: Implement strict validation of file paths, allowing only alphanumeric characters and a single extension.
3. Path Canonicalization: Use realpath() or equivalent to resolve paths and ensure they stay within the intended directory.
4. File Permissions: Set restrictive permissions on critical files (e.g., 644 for config files) and directories (e.g., 755).
5. Web Application Firewall (WAF): Deploy rules to block path traversal patterns in file upload parameters.
6. Monitoring: Enable detailed logging for file uploads and monitor for suspicious activity.
7. Patch: Contact the vendor for a security update or consider migrating to an alternative solution.

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