# CVE-2025-59525: Horilla has Improper Input Sanitization Leading to XSS and Admin Account Takeover

> Attackers can execute JavaScript via malicious SVG uploads in Horilla HRMS, potentially leading to admin account takeover.

- **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:** 15 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rp5m-vpqr-vpvp

## What is CVE-2025-59525?

CVE-2025-59525 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, improper sanitization across the application allows XSS via uploaded SVG (and via allowed <embed>), which can be chained to execute JavaScript whenever users view impacted content (e.g., announcements). This can result in admin account takeover. 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-2025-59525?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Horilla Horilla.

## How do I fix CVE-2025-59525?

No fix has been published for CVE-2025-59525 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2025-59525 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-59525 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2025-59524](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-59524/): Horilla Stored XSS Vulnerability via File Upload in Reimbursement Panel (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-2025-59525 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-59525 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: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-59525 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2025-59525/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-59525/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-59525
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-59525
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-59525

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-59525/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.