CVE-2026-25231 is an improper access control vulnerability (CWE-284) affecting FileRise, a self-hosted web file manager and WebDAV server, in versions prior to 3.3.0. The vulnerability exists because the application fails to enforce access restrictions on the /uploads directory, allowing any unauthenticated user to directly access files uploaded there if they can guess or know the file path. This lack of access control means sensitive files can be exposed publicly, leading to confidentiality breaches. The vulnerability is categorized under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-552 (Files or Directories Accessible to External Parties). The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, indicating a high severity level, with the vector AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N, meaning the attack can be performed remotely without privileges or user interaction, and it impacts confidentiality only. The vulnerability does not affect data integrity or system availability. Although no known exploits are reported in the wild, the simplicity of exploitation and potential for sensitive data exposure make this a critical issue for organizations relying on FileRise for file management. The issue is resolved in version 3.3.0, where proper access controls are implemented on the /uploads directory to prevent unauthorized file access.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk of sensitive data exposure, especially for entities that use FileRise to manage confidential or regulated information. Data leaks could lead to privacy violations, regulatory non-compliance (e.g., GDPR), reputational damage, and potential financial penalties. Since the vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote access to uploaded files, attackers could harvest sensitive documents, intellectual property, or personally identifiable information without detection. This risk is heightened for sectors such as healthcare, finance, legal, and government agencies that often handle sensitive data and may use self-hosted file management solutions. The lack of integrity or availability impact means the threat is primarily data confidentiality loss, but this alone can have severe consequences under European data protection laws. Organizations with public-facing FileRise instances are particularly vulnerable, as attackers do not need credentials or user interaction to exploit the flaw.

European organizations should immediately upgrade FileRise installations to version 3.3.0 or later, where the vulnerability is patched. Until upgrades can be applied, administrators should implement strict network-level access controls to restrict access to the /uploads directory, such as IP whitelisting or VPN-only access. Web server configurations (e.g., Apache, Nginx) can be adjusted to deny direct access to the /uploads path or require authentication before serving files. Regular audits of uploaded files should be conducted to identify and remove any sensitive data that may have been exposed. Organizations should also monitor web server logs for suspicious access patterns indicating attempts to enumerate or access files in the uploads directory. Implementing comprehensive file upload validation and access control policies will help prevent similar issues. Finally, raising user awareness about secure file handling and ensuring that sensitive data is not uploaded without encryption or additional protections can reduce risk.