CVE-2025-45315 is a cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability identified in the hortusfox-web application, specifically within the /controller/admin.php endpoint. This vulnerability arises due to insufficient input validation or output encoding of the 'email' parameter, allowing an attacker to inject arbitrary JavaScript code. When a crafted payload is submitted via this parameter, the malicious script executes in the context of the victim user's browser session. This can lead to session hijacking, credential theft, unauthorized actions performed on behalf of the user, or the delivery of further malware. The vulnerability affects hortusfox-web version 4.4, though the exact affected versions are not explicitly stated. No official patch or remediation link is currently available, and there are no known exploits in the wild at the time of publication. The vulnerability was reserved in April 2025 and published in August 2025. The absence of a CVSS score suggests it is a newly disclosed issue pending further assessment. XSS vulnerabilities like this are typically exploited via social engineering or phishing to lure authenticated users into clicking malicious links or submitting crafted forms, thereby compromising their session or data confidentiality.

For European organizations using hortusfox-web 4.4, this XSS vulnerability poses a significant risk to the confidentiality and integrity of user sessions, especially for administrative users who access the /controller/admin.php endpoint. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive administrative functions, data leakage, or manipulation of application behavior. Given that hortusfox-web appears to be a web-based application, organizations relying on it for internal or external services may face reputational damage, regulatory compliance issues (e.g., GDPR violations due to data exposure), and operational disruptions. The impact is heightened in sectors with strict data protection requirements such as finance, healthcare, and government institutions. Although no active exploits are reported, the vulnerability’s presence in an administrative interface increases the attractiveness to attackers aiming for privilege escalation or lateral movement within networks.

Organizations should immediately review their deployment of hortusfox-web and restrict access to the /controller/admin.php endpoint to trusted administrators only, ideally through network segmentation and strong authentication controls. Input validation and output encoding should be implemented or enhanced on the 'email' parameter to neutralize malicious scripts. Until an official patch is released, deploying Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) with custom rules to detect and block typical XSS payloads targeting the email parameter can reduce risk. Security teams should conduct thorough code reviews and penetration testing focused on input handling in the affected endpoint. User awareness training to recognize phishing attempts that might exploit this vulnerability is also recommended. Monitoring logs for suspicious activity related to the admin interface can help detect attempted exploitation. Finally, organizations should track vendor advisories for patches or updates addressing this issue and apply them promptly once available.