Published: 2025-11-29
Overview
CVE-2025-66225 describes a critical vulnerability affecting OrangeHRM, a widely used human resource management system. This flaw allows an attacker to potentially take over any user account, including administrator accounts, by manipulating the password reset workflow. Versions 5.0 through 5.7 of OrangeHRM are affected. A patch is available in version 5.8.
Technical Details
The vulnerability resides within the password reset functionality. Specifically, the system fails to properly validate the username provided during the final password reset request. Here’s how the attack works:
- An attacker initiates a password reset for *any* account for which they can intercept email (even one they own).
- The system generates and sends a valid password reset link to that email address.
- The attacker intercepts the reset link.
- The attacker modifies the `username` parameter within the final password reset request (typically a POST request). Instead of the original user’s username, they substitute the username of the target account they wish to compromise (e.g., an administrator account).
- Because the system does not verify that the submitted username matches the user associated with the original reset request, it accepts the new username and allows the attacker to set a new password for the target account.
This lack of verification allows an attacker to bypass the intended security measures and gain unauthorized access to any account within the OrangeHRM system.
CVSS Analysis
Due to the potential for complete account takeover, including privileged accounts, this vulnerability is considered critical. While the CVSS score is currently unavailable (N/A), a thorough assessment would likely result in a CVSS v3 score close to 10.0, reflecting the high severity and ease of exploitation.
Possible Impact
Successful exploitation of CVE-2025-66225 can have severe consequences:
- Complete Account Takeover: Attackers gain full control of compromised accounts, including administrator accounts.
- Data Breach: Access to sensitive employee data, including personal information, salaries, and performance reviews.
- System Compromise: Attackers could potentially use compromised administrator accounts to further compromise the OrangeHRM system and potentially the underlying server.
- Reputational Damage: A successful attack can severely damage an organization’s reputation and erode trust.
- Financial Loss: The consequences of a data breach can lead to significant financial losses due to fines, legal fees, and remediation efforts.
Mitigation or Patch Steps
The recommended mitigation is to immediately upgrade to OrangeHRM version 5.8 or later. This version includes a patch that addresses the vulnerability by implementing proper username validation during the password reset process.
If upgrading is not immediately feasible, consider the following temporary mitigations (though these are not substitutes for patching):
- Monitor password reset activity: Implement robust monitoring to detect suspicious password reset attempts.
- Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA): While it won’t prevent the initial account takeover, MFA can provide an additional layer of security to protect against unauthorized access after a password has been changed.
- Review user permissions: Ensure that users have only the necessary permissions to minimize the potential damage from a compromised account.
References
- OrangeHRM Security Advisory: https://github.com/orangehrm/orangehrm/security/advisories/GHSA-5ghw-9775-v263
