CVE-2025-48828: vBulletin · Improper Protection of Alternate Path
Affects vBulletinSource CVE Database V5
Public exploit available (Metasploit) · 57% EPSS · CVSS 9.0 Critical.
Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 14:05 UTC
- EPSS
- 57.2% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 99% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 27 May 2025
Detectable: evidence found.
nuclei template: vBulletin replaceAdTemplate - Remote Code Execution
Weaponised: evidence found.
Exploited in the wildExploited: no evidence on record.
Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.
What to do
Affected software
| Product | Affected | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| vBulletin vBulletin | Affected
| Fixed in– |
AI-suggested
2) As a temporary measure, restrict access to the vBulletin administration and template editing interfaces to trusted IP addresses only, minimizing exposure. 3) Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block suspicious template code patterns or unusual PHP function invocation syntax in HTTP requests. 4) Conduct thorough code audits of custom templates to identify and remove any unsafe template conditionals or code that could be exploited. 5) Monitor server logs for anomalous activity indicative of exploitation attempts, such as unexpected PHP function calls or template modifications. 6) Employ network segmentation to isolate vBulletin servers from critical internal systems, limiting lateral movement in case of compromise. 7) Regularly back up forum data and configurations to enable rapid recovery if exploitation occurs. 8) Educate administrators and developers about secure template coding practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities in the future.
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.