CVE-2025-13061: Online Voting System RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-13061 Overview

CVE-2025-13061 is an unrestricted file upload vulnerability in itsourcecode Online Voting System 1.0. The flaw resides in the /index.php?page=manage_voting endpoint, where an unspecified function fails to validate uploaded file content or extensions. Authenticated remote attackers can abuse this weakness to place arbitrary files on the server. The vulnerability maps to CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type) and CWE-284 (Improper Access Control). Public disclosure indicates the exploit details are available, increasing exposure for unpatched deployments.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can upload arbitrary files to the web server through the voting management interface, potentially leading to webshell deployment and remote code execution on hosting infrastructure.

Affected Products

itsourcecode Online Voting System 1.0
angeljudesuarez online_voting_system package (CPE: cpe:2.3:a:angeljudesuarez:online_voting_system:1.0)
Deployments exposing /index.php?page=manage_voting

Discovery Timeline

2025-11-12 - CVE-2025-13061 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-13061

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists within the voting management workflow exposed at /index.php?page=manage_voting. The handler accepts file uploads without enforcing restrictions on MIME type, file extension, or content inspection. An attacker authenticated with low-privilege credentials can submit a crafted multipart request and write executable scripts into a web-accessible directory.

Because the application processes PHP files placed in its document root, an uploaded script executes within the web server context. This grants the attacker code execution against the database, configuration files, and any operating system resources accessible to the PHP process. The attack requires network reachability to the application but no user interaction.

The exploit is reported as public through community channels, including a GitHub Issue Tracker report and VulDB submission #682587.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing server-side validation on the upload routine inside the manage_voting page. The application trusts client-supplied file metadata and stores files under their original names. Combined with weak access control on the management endpoint, an attacker with minimal privileges reaches functionality that should be limited to trusted administrators.

Attack Vector

Exploitation is performed remotely over HTTP or HTTPS against an internet-exposed instance. The attacker authenticates with any valid account, navigates to the voting management page, and submits a POST request containing a PHP payload disguised as a permitted asset. The attacker then requests the uploaded file directly to trigger execution. Refer to the VulDB entry for additional context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-13061

Indicators of Compromise

POST requests to /index.php?page=manage_voting containing multipart form data with executable extensions such as .php, .phtml, or .phar.
Newly created script files in upload directories belonging to the Online Voting System install path.
Outbound connections from the web server process to unfamiliar IP addresses shortly after file uploads.
Web shell access patterns showing repeated GET requests to recently uploaded files with cmd, id, or whoami query parameters.

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server logs for upload requests to manage_voting and correlate with subsequent requests to the same uploaded filename.
Deploy file integrity monitoring on the application's upload and root directories to flag unexpected script creation.
Use a web application firewall rule to block multipart uploads containing PHP tags or scripting MIME types on this endpoint.

Monitoring Recommendations

Alert on PHP processes spawning shell interpreters such as /bin/sh, bash, or cmd.exe.
Monitor authentication logs on the voting system for low-privilege accounts accessing administrative pages.
Track filesystem changes within the web root and capture diffs for forensic review.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-13061

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network access to the Online Voting System administrative interface using firewall rules or VPN-only access.
Disable or remove the manage_voting upload functionality if not actively required for operations.
Audit the upload directory for unknown scripts and remove any unauthorized files before restoring service.
Rotate credentials for all accounts capable of authenticating to the application.

Patch Information

No vendor patch is currently listed in the available references. Organizations operating this software should treat the application as unmaintained and plan for migration or compensating controls. Monitor the IT Source Code project page for any future updates.

Workarounds

Enforce server-side validation by rejecting any upload whose extension is not in a strict allowlist such as .jpg, .png, or .pdf.
Store uploaded files outside the web root and serve them through a download handler that sets non-executable content types.
Configure the web server to disable PHP execution within upload directories using php_admin_flag engine off or equivalent Apache and Nginx directives.
Place the application behind a reverse proxy or WAF that inspects multipart payloads for embedded scripting content.

bash

# Apache configuration to disable PHP execution in upload directory
<Directory "/var/www/online_voting_system/uploads">
    php_admin_flag engine off
    Options -ExecCGI
    AddType text/plain .php .phtml .phar .php3 .php4 .php5
</Directory>