CVE-2025-67172
📋 TL;DR
RiteCMS v3.1.0 contains an authenticated remote code execution vulnerability in the parse_special_tags() function that allows authenticated users to execute arbitrary code on the server. This affects all installations running the vulnerable version. Attackers with valid credentials can compromise the entire web application.
💻 Affected Systems
- RiteCMS
📦 What is this software?
Ritecms by Ritecms
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete server compromise leading to data theft, malware deployment, lateral movement to other systems, and persistent backdoor installation.
Likely Case
Webshell deployment, data exfiltration, privilege escalation, and defacement of the website.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper network segmentation, minimal user privileges, and active monitoring detecting exploitation attempts.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploit requires authenticated access but is straightforward to execute once credentials are obtained.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Not available
Vendor Advisory: Not available
Restart Required: No
Instructions:
No official patch available. Consider upgrading to a newer version if available or implementing workarounds.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable parse_special_tags function
allModify the functions.inc.php file to disable or secure the vulnerable parse_special_tags() function
Edit cms/includes/functions.inc.php and comment out or remove lines 297-504 containing parse_special_tags() function
Restrict user privileges
allLimit authenticated users to minimal necessary permissions and implement strong access controls
Review and modify user roles in RiteCMS admin panel to remove unnecessary privileges
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement web application firewall (WAF) rules to block suspicious input patterns
- Isolate the RiteCMS instance in a DMZ with strict outbound network controls
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check if running RiteCMS v3.1.0 by examining version files or admin panel. Review functions.inc.php for parse_special_tags() function.Check Version:
Check cms/version.txt or admin panel for version informationVerify Fix Applied:
Test if parse_special_tags() function is disabled or modified. Attempt to trigger the vulnerability with safe test payloads.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual POST requests to admin functions
- System command execution in web logs
- Multiple failed authentication attempts followed by successful login
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from web server
- Command and control traffic patterns
SIEM Query:
source="web_logs" AND (url="*parse_special_tags*" OR message="*system(*" OR message="*exec(*")🔗 References
- https://github.com/handylulu/RiteCMS/
- https://github.com/handylulu/RiteCMS/blob/master/cms/includes/functions.inc.php#L297
- https://github.com/handylulu/RiteCMS/blob/master/cms/includes/functions.inc.php#L504
- https://github.com/mbiesiad/vulnerability-research/tree/main/CVE-2025-67172
- https://github.com/mbiesiad/vulnerability-research/tree/main/CVE-2025-67172
