CVE-2025-12490
Published: 06 November 2025
Summary
CVE-2025-12490 is a high-severity Path Traversal (CWE-22) vulnerability in Zerodayinitiative (inferred from references). Its CVSS base score is 8.8 (High).
Operationally, ranked in the top 3.9% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
Deeper analysis
Netgate pfSense CE contains a path traversal vulnerability in its Suricata package that permits remote attackers to create arbitrary files. The flaw stems from insufficient validation of user-supplied paths before they are used in file operations, allowing file creation with root privileges on affected installations. The issue was originally tracked as ZDI-CAN-28085 and carries a CVSS 3.0 score of 8.8.
Authenticated remote attackers can exploit the weakness to write files anywhere on the system in the root context, which may lead to remote code execution. No unauthenticated vector is described, and the vulnerability requires an account with access to the Suricata package configuration.
A patch addressing the path validation issue is available in the referenced FreeBSD-ports commit, and further details are provided in the Zero Day Initiative advisory ZDI-25-979.
The EPSS score for this CVE rose from lower values to a peak of 0.2670 on 2026-03-08 before receding to the current 0.2358, indicating a measurable increase in exploitation interest after disclosure.
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2025-38174
Vulnerability details
Netgate pfSense CE Suricata Path Traversal Remote Code Execution Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows remote attackers to create arbitrary files on affected installations of Netgate pfSense. Authentication is required to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the Suricata package.…
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The issue results from the lack of proper validation of a user-supplied path prior to using it in file operations. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to create files in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-28085.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
No named actor attribution yet. ATT&CK technique mapping in progress for this CVE.
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Likely Mitigating Controls AI
Per-CVE control mapping for this CVE has not run yet; the list below is derived from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry.
Validates pathnames and filenames to prevent traversal outside intended directories.