CVE-2026-25235 is a vulnerability identified in the PEAR pearweb framework, a PHP-based system for reusable components, specifically affecting versions prior to 1.33.0. The root cause is a predictable seed used in the pseudo-random number generator (PRNG) responsible for creating verification hashes. These verification tokens are critical in processes such as election account request verifications. Because the PRNG seed is predictable, an attacker can guess or reproduce verification tokens without authorization, thereby bypassing normal security controls. This vulnerability does not require authentication or user interaction, making it remotely exploitable over the network with low attack complexity. The CVSS 4.0 vector indicates network attack vector (AV:N), low attack complexity (AC:L), no privileges required (PR:N), no user interaction (UI:N), and high impact on verification confidentiality (VC:H), with no impact on integrity or availability. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-337 (Predictable Seed in PRNG), which is a known weakness that undermines cryptographic security. Although no exploits have been reported in the wild, the potential for abuse in sensitive contexts such as election systems or account verification processes is significant. The vendor has addressed the issue in version 1.33.0 by improving the randomness source for token generation.

For European organizations, especially those involved in election management, online voting, or sensitive account verification, this vulnerability poses a serious risk. Unauthorized actors could forge verification tokens to illegitimately verify election accounts or manipulate verification workflows, potentially undermining election integrity or user account security. This could lead to loss of trust, legal repercussions, and disruption of democratic processes. Organizations relying on pearweb for critical verification mechanisms may face confidentiality breaches and unauthorized access. The vulnerability’s network-exploitable nature means attackers can operate remotely without credentials, increasing the threat surface. Given the importance of secure election infrastructure in Europe and the widespread use of PHP frameworks, the impact could be broad if unpatched systems exist. Additionally, the vulnerability could be leveraged in targeted attacks against political entities or civil organizations, amplifying geopolitical risks.

The primary mitigation is to upgrade all pearweb installations to version 1.33.0 or later, where the PRNG seed issue has been fixed. Organizations should audit their use of pearweb components to identify affected versions and prioritize patching. For environments where immediate upgrading is not feasible, implementing additional verification layers or rate limiting on verification requests can reduce exploitation risk. Developers should review token generation methods to ensure cryptographically secure randomness sources are used, such as PHP’s random_bytes() or other secure libraries. Monitoring logs for unusual verification attempts or token reuse patterns can help detect exploitation attempts. Organizations should also conduct security awareness training for developers and administrators about the risks of predictable randomness in security-critical functions. Finally, integrating multi-factor verification mechanisms can provide defense in depth against token forgery.