# CVE-2025-48828: Code injection in vBulletin

> Attackers can execute arbitrary PHP code by abusing template conditionals in vBulletin, leading to full system compromise.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 27 May 2025
- **Updated:** 27 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-58pj-rcxg-3vhg

## What is CVE-2025-48828?

CVE-2025-48828 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Vbulletin Vbulletin, published on 27 May 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Certain vBulletin versions might allow attackers to execute arbitrary PHP code by abusing Template Conditionals in the template engine. By crafting template code in an alternative PHP function invocation syntax, such as the "var_dump"("test") syntax, attackers can bypass security checks and execute arbitrary PHP code, as exploited in the wild in May 2025.

Weakness: CWE-424 (Improper Protection of Alternate Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-48828?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vbulletin Vbulletin.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-48828?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-48828 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-48828 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-48828 exists.

Public exploit code:

- vBulletin replaceAdTemplate Remote Code Execution (metasploit)
- Batch RCE scanner for vulnerable vBulletin instances using replaceAdTemplate exploit. (github_poc): https://github.com/ill-deed/vBulletin-CVE-2025-48828-Multi-target
- vBulletin replaceAdTemplate - Remote Code Execution (nuclei): http/cves/2025/CVE-2025-48828.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in Vbulletin Vbulletin

- [CVE-2020-17496](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-17496/): vBulletin PHP Module Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16759](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16759/): vBulletin PHP Module Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-48827](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48827/): vBulletin 5.0.0 through 5.7.5 and 6.0.0 through 6.0.3 allows unauthenticated users to invoke protected API controllers' methods when running (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2023-25135](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-25135/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2020-7373](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7373/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-48828 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-48828 is a critical code injection vulnerability in Vbulletin Vbulletin, published on 27 May 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-48828 exists.

Affected product: Vbulletin Vbulletin. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48828/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48828/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-48828
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-48828
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-48828

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48828/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.