External risk intelligence

alexusmai laravel-file-manager Directory Traversal Vulnerability

CVE advisorySeverity: CRITICAL (CVSS 9.1)

CVE-2025-65346

The product is a file manager component integrated into web applications. As a file management interface, it is commonly deployed as part of an internet-facing web application or administrative portal, making the extraction functionality reachable through standard web requests.

Path Traversal

Alexusmai Laravel File Manager

3.3.1 and earlier

Halo Surface Signal: 4 out of 5 — likely to be public-facing.

External exposure likelihood

Horizon Alert

Summary of the vulnerability and why it matters

This advisory concerns a critical vulnerability in a file management component that could allow unauthorized access to write files to arbitrary locations on the system. The issue stems from inadequate validation of paths during the extraction of archive files. This type of weakness, if exploited, could lead to significant security breaches by enabling attackers to overwrite critical system files or inject malicious content.

File extraction process has a critical path validation flaw.
Matters because it allows writing to any system location.
Confirm relevance and potential exposure to business systems.

Attack Path

How an attacker could exploit the issue

An attacker can reach this vulnerability by sending specially crafted requests to a web application using the affected file manager. This allows them to upload malicious archives that, when extracted, can overwrite or place files in unintended directories on the server. This capability could potentially lead to significant compromise of the server's integrity and confidentiality.

No authentication or user interaction required.
Unzip functionality with path validation flaws.
Arbitrary file write, system compromise.

Live Threat

Current exploitation, exposure, and threat context

When supported by the advisory, an attacker could leverage this vulnerability to write files to arbitrary locations on the filesystem. This could affect system data and service behavior if the affected component is used to process archive contents.

System files and service configurations.
Arbitrary file writes to filesystem locations.
Potential disruption of service functionality.

Operational Fix

Recommended remediation, mitigation, and detection steps

This vulnerability resides within the `laravel-file-manager` component, a file management tool commonly integrated into web applications. Given its function, the application owners or the platform team responsible for the web application would likely need to investigate its presence. The first practical step involves identifying all instances of this component, confirming its accessibility and business criticality, and then prioritizing remediation efforts based on the potential impact.

Application owners and platform teams
Confirm deployment and reachability
Plan remediation with vendor coordination

Supplementary metadata

CVSS vector

Validate whether this threat affects your internet-facing exposure.

Halo Threat Intelligence helps prioritize remediation with Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context. Start exposure validation with a free external attack surface trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What is alexusmai laravel-file-manager?

It is a file management component designed for the Laravel PHP framework. Developers integrate it into web applications to provide users with a graphical interface for uploading, managing, and organizing files directly within a browser.

What does CVE-2025-65346 mean for file security?

This vulnerability is a Directory Traversal weakness, classified as CWE-22. It occurs when the software fails to properly sanitize the paths of files inside an archive during extraction, allowing an attacker to write files outside of the intended directory and potentially overwrite critical system files.

How can an attacker trigger this vulnerability?

An attacker triggers this by uploading a specially crafted archive file to the manager. The flaw is not limited to specific file types but specifically affects the extraction process. Simply browsing files or performing standard uploads that do not involve the unzip or extraction function will not trigger this specific bug.

Why should I care about this vulnerability?

Halo Surface Signal notes that since this component is a file manager, it is often deployed in internet-facing portals. Because it allows for arbitrary file writes, it represents a high risk to the integrity of the underlying server. If your instance is accessible from the internet, the potential for unauthorized file placement is significantly increased.

What are the first steps to address this CVE?

Begin by auditing your infrastructure to locate all instances of the laravel-file-manager component. Confirm which applications use it and determine their exposure level. Once identified, evaluate the necessity of the archive extraction feature and coordinate with your development or platform teams to plan for an update or patch once available from the vendor.

References

Written by Nicholas Merritt

Nicholas Merritt is VP of Security Solutions at Halo Security. With more than 25 years across application security, vulnerability prioritization, and offensive security, he helps teams translate threat data into practical exposure validation and remediation focus. He authors Halo Threat Intelligence CVE advisories using Halo Surface Signal and H/A/L/O context to prioritize internet-facing risk.