CVE-2025-48390Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Administrator code execution via php_path shell substitution

Published May 29, 2025 · Updated May 30, 2025

Code injection in FreeScout before 1.8.178 allows remote authenticated users with administrator rights to execute server-side commands. In public/tools.php, clearCache() strips selected metacharacters from php_path but retains backticks and tabs, then passes the value into a shell command after file_exists accepts an attacker-created translation directory. Exploitation requires administrator rights and the APP_KEY; successful commands run with the web application's privileges and can read or modify server data.

CVSS severity9.4
Critical
EPSS probability0.89%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in FreeScout before 1.8.178 allows remote authenticated users with administrator rights to execute server-side commands. In public/tools.php, clearCache() strips selected metacharacters from php_path but retains backticks and tabs, then passes the value into a shell command after file_exists accepts an attacker-created translation directory. Exploitation requires administrator rights and the APP_KEY; successful commands run with the web application's privileges and can read or modify server data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-48390
Published
May 29, 2025
Updated
May 30, 2025
Vendor
FreeScout
Product
FreeScout
Classifications
CWE-94, CAPEC-248, T1059.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 29, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 30, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=< 1.8.178

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

FreeScout · FreeScoutversion=< 1.8.178

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.4GitHub, Inc.CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:H/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-94Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')
CAPEC-248Command Injection
T1059.004Unix Shell

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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