CVE-2025-52666
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Revive Adserver allows authenticated administrator users to cause a fatal PHP error by injecting format characters in settings, which disables the admin console. It affects Revive Adserver versions 5.5.2, 6.0.1, and earlier. The impact is limited to availability of the admin interface for authenticated administrators.
💻 Affected Systems
- Revive Adserver
📦 What is this software?
Revive Adserver by Revive Adserver
Revive Adserver by Revive Adserver
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Administrator loses access to the admin console, requiring manual database intervention or server access to restore functionality.
Likely Case
Administrator accidentally or intentionally triggers the error, temporarily disabling admin access until the issue is manually resolved.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact with proper access controls and monitoring; admin console becomes unavailable but no data compromise occurs.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires authenticated administrator access and knowledge of specific format character injection.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Versions after 5.5.2 and 6.0.1 (check vendor for specific fixed versions)
Vendor Advisory: https://www.revive-adserver.com/security/
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
1. Backup your installation and database. 2. Download the latest patched version from the official Revive Adserver website. 3. Follow the upgrade instructions for your current version. 4. Verify admin console functionality after upgrade.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict Admin Access
allLimit administrator account access to trusted personnel only and implement strong authentication.
Input Validation Enhancement
allAdd custom input validation for admin settings to filter format characters before processing.
# Add custom validation in admin settings handling code
# Filter format specifiers like %s, %d, %f from user input
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls for admin accounts and monitor admin activity logs
- Create regular backups of the database and application files to enable quick recovery if admin console becomes unavailable
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check your Revive Adserver version against affected versions (5.5.2, 6.0.1, or earlier).Check Version:
Check the version.php file in your Revive Adserver installation directory or view the footer in the admin interface.Verify Fix Applied:
After patching, verify that the admin console remains functional when accessing settings with various inputs.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- PHP fatal error logs mentioning format string issues in admin settings
- Admin login attempts followed by settings modification errors
Network Indicators:
- Increased admin interface access attempts from unusual locations
SIEM Query:
source="php_error.log" AND "fatal error" AND "admin" AND "settings"