The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-13061 affects the itsourcecode Online Voting System version 1.0, specifically through the /index.php?page=manage_voting endpoint. The flaw allows an attacker to perform unrestricted file uploads remotely without requiring authentication or user interaction. This means an attacker can upload arbitrary files, including potentially malicious scripts, which could lead to remote code execution, unauthorized access, or full system compromise. The vulnerability is rated medium severity with a CVSS 4.0 score of 5.3, indicating low attack complexity and no privileges required. The vector metrics show that the attack can be performed remotely (AV:N), with no user interaction (UI:N), and no privileges needed (PR:L, which is low but still some privilege). The impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability is low individually but combined can lead to significant compromise. No patches are currently linked, and while no exploits are confirmed in the wild, public exploit code availability increases the risk. The vulnerability is critical for online voting systems as it threatens the integrity and trustworthiness of election processes by enabling attackers to manipulate voting data or disrupt services.

For European organizations, especially those involved in electoral processes or civic engagement platforms, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to the integrity and availability of voting systems. Exploitation could allow attackers to upload malicious payloads, leading to unauthorized access, data manipulation, or denial of service. This could undermine public trust in democratic processes, cause legal and reputational damage, and disrupt critical election infrastructure. Given the remote and unauthenticated nature of the exploit, attackers could operate from outside the targeted country, complicating attribution and response. The impact is particularly severe for countries relying on this specific voting system or similar vulnerable platforms, as it could facilitate election interference or sabotage. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged as a foothold for broader network compromise within government or election management organizations.

Immediate mitigation should focus on restricting file upload functionality by implementing strict server-side validation of file types, sizes, and content. Deploying a web application firewall (WAF) with rules to detect and block malicious upload attempts targeting the /index.php?page=manage_voting endpoint is recommended. Organizations should audit and monitor upload directories for unauthorized files and implement integrity checks. If possible, upgrade or patch the itsourcecode Online Voting System to a version that addresses this vulnerability once available. In the absence of a patch, consider disabling or restricting access to the vulnerable functionality to trusted administrators only. Employ network segmentation and least privilege principles to limit the impact of a potential compromise. Regularly review logs and conduct penetration testing focused on file upload mechanisms. Finally, establish incident response plans specific to election system compromises to ensure rapid containment and recovery.