CVE-2025-59056 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting FreePBX versions 15, 16, and 17 prior to specific patch releases (15.0.38, 16.0.41, and 17.0.21). FreePBX is an open-source web-based GUI widely used for managing Asterisk-based telephony systems. The vulnerability stems from improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory (CWE-22), commonly known as a path traversal flaw, within the security-reporting module of FreePBX. This flaw allows unauthenticated remote attackers to trigger the uninstall function of certain modules by sending crafted requests to the Administrator Control Panel web interface. The uninstall function drops the module’s database tables, which store critical configuration data. As a result, exploitation leads to loss of module configurations and potentially disrupts telephony services managed by FreePBX. The CVSS 4.0 base score is 6.6, reflecting a medium severity with network attack vector, no required privileges or user interaction, and a high impact on availability due to database table deletion. No known exploits are reported in the wild as of the publication date. The vulnerability affects multiple major FreePBX versions, emphasizing the need for patching. Since the attack requires no authentication and can be performed remotely, the risk of automated exploitation exists, especially on publicly accessible FreePBX administrative interfaces. However, the impact is limited to availability and integrity of module configurations rather than confidentiality. The vulnerability does not affect the core telephony engine directly but can cause significant operational disruption by removing module data.

For European organizations relying on FreePBX for their telephony infrastructure, this vulnerability poses a significant risk to service availability and operational continuity. Disruption of telephony services can impact customer support, internal communications, and emergency response capabilities. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure, where telephony is integral, may face operational downtime and reputational damage. The loss of module configurations may require time-consuming restoration from backups or reconfiguration, increasing recovery time. Since the vulnerability can be exploited remotely without authentication, exposed FreePBX administrative interfaces represent a high-risk attack surface. Additionally, organizations with regulatory obligations under GDPR must consider the operational impact and potential reporting requirements if service disruptions affect personal data processing. While confidentiality is not directly impacted, the integrity and availability of telephony management systems are at risk, which can indirectly affect business operations and compliance.

1. Immediate patching: Upgrade FreePBX installations to versions 15.0.38, 16.0.41, or 17.0.21 or later, where the vulnerability is fixed. 2. Restrict access: Limit access to the FreePBX Administrator Control Panel using network-level controls such as VPNs, IP whitelisting, or firewall rules to prevent unauthorized external access. 3. Web interface hardening: Implement web application firewalls (WAF) with rules to detect and block path traversal attempts targeting FreePBX modules. 4. Monitoring and alerting: Enable detailed logging of administrative interface access and monitor for unusual uninstall requests or database table drops. 5. Backup and recovery: Maintain regular, tested backups of FreePBX configurations and module databases to enable rapid restoration in case of exploitation. 6. Disable unused modules: Remove or disable unnecessary FreePBX modules to reduce the attack surface. 7. Network segmentation: Isolate telephony management interfaces from general corporate networks to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 8. Security awareness: Train IT staff on the risks of exposing administrative interfaces and the importance of timely patching.