# CVE-2025-59524: Horilla Stored XSS Vulnerability via File Upload in Reimbursement Panel

> Attackers can upload malicious HTML files to trigger stored XSS, stealing admin session cookies and gaining unauthorized access to the HRMS.

- **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:N/SC:N/SI:H/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 24 Sep 2025
- **Updated:** 24 Sep 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mff9-p8j9-9v5q

## What is CVE-2025-59524?

CVE-2025-59524 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in horilla-opensource horilla, published on 24 Sep 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Horilla is a free and open source Human Resource Management System (HRMS). Prior to version 1.4.0, the file upload flow performs validation only in the browser and does not enforce server-side checks. An attacker can bypass the client-side validation (for example, with an intercepting proxy or by submitting a crafted request) to store an executable HTML document on the server. When an administrator or other privileged user views the uploaded file, the embedded script runs in their context and sends session cookies (or other credentials) to an attacker-controlled endpoint. The attacker then reuses those credentials to impersonate the admin. This issue has been patched in version 1.4.0.

Weakness: CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation), CWE-434 (Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-59524?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Horilla Horilla.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-59524?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-59524 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-59524 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2025-59524 exists.

## Other vulnerabilities in horilla-opensource horilla

- [CVE-2025-59832](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-59832/): Horrila Stored XSS Vulnerability via Ticket Comment section (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-24010](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24010/): Horilla has HTML Injection Issue that, with Phishing, Leads to Account Takeover (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-24038](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24038/): Horilla HR has 2FA Bypass through its OTP Handling Logic (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2025-59525](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-59525/): Horilla has Improper Input Sanitization Leading to XSS and Admin Account Takeover (high 7.7)
- [CVE-2025-48869](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-48869/): Horilla Unauthorized Access to Candidate Resume Files Due to Broken Access Control (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-59524 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-59524 is a high-severity cross-site scripting vulnerability in horilla-opensource horilla, published on 24 Sep 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-2025-59524 exists.

Affected product: horilla-opensource horilla. 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-2025-59524/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-59524/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-59524
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-59524
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-59524

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-59524/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.