CVE-2025-12268
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to upload arbitrary files to LearnHouse's Course Thumbnail Handler API endpoint. Attackers can exploit this to upload malicious files, potentially leading to server compromise. All LearnHouse instances with the vulnerable API endpoint exposed are affected.
💻 Affected Systems
- LearnHouse
📦 What is this software?
Learnhouse by Learnhouse
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete server takeover, data exfiltration, or deployment of ransomware.
Likely Case
Upload of web shells or malicious scripts enabling persistent access, data manipulation, or lateral movement.
If Mitigated
File uploads blocked or sanitized, limiting impact to denial of service or unsuccessful attack attempts.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit details publicly disclosed in GitHub gist. Attack requires crafting malicious file upload requests to the vulnerable endpoint.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Unknown - vendor unresponsive
Vendor Advisory: None available
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Consider applying community fixes or implementing workarounds.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict File Upload Endpoint
allBlock or restrict access to /api/v1/courses/ endpoint at network or application level
# Example nginx config: location /api/v1/courses/ { deny all; }
# Example Apache: <Location /api/v1/courses/> Require all denied </Location>
Implement File Upload Validation
allAdd server-side validation for file types, size limits, and content inspection
# Implement in application code: validate file extension, MIME type, and scan for malicious content
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block malicious file upload patterns
- Disable the Course Thumbnail Handler feature entirely if not required
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Test if you can upload arbitrary files (e.g., .php, .jsp) to /api/v1/courses/ endpoint without proper validationCheck Version:
Check LearnHouse commit hash or build version against vulnerable commit 98dfad76aad70711a8113f6c1fdabfccf10509caVerify Fix Applied:
Verify file uploads are properly validated and restricted, test with malicious file upload attempts📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual file uploads to /api/v1/courses/ endpoint
- Uploads of executable file types (.php, .jsp, .exe)
- Large or abnormal file upload patterns
Network Indicators:
- HTTP POST requests to /api/v1/courses/ with file uploads
- Unusual outbound connections from server after file uploads
SIEM Query:
source="web_server" AND (url="/api/v1/courses/" AND method="POST" AND (file_extension="php" OR file_extension="jsp" OR file_extension="exe"))