---
id: CVE-2025-48868
title: Horilla is a free and open source Human Resource Management System (HRMS)
summary: >-
  Horilla is a free and open source Human Resource Management System (HRMS). An
  authenticated Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability exists in Horilla
  1.3.0 due to the unsafe use of Python’s eval() function on a user-controlled
  query pa…
severity: high
cvss: 7.2
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-95
vendor: horilla
product: horilla
affected:
  - horilla = 1.3
published: '2025-09-24'
updated: '2026-09-26'
sourceUpdated: '2026-09-26T00:10:00.127'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-48868'
references:
  - url: >-
      https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XQAJilt77QxkjGEa94CsZRqZIZXa3ET9/view?usp=sharing
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: >-
      https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hnI9AK3fnpVrTlTRF7aRJsKhZCDIm2Ve/view?usp=sharing
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/horilla-opensource/horilla/commit/b0aab62b3a5fe6b7114b5c58db129b3744b4d8cc
    label: security-advisories@github.com
  - url: >-
      https://github.com/horilla-opensource/horilla/security/advisories/GHSA-h6qj-pwmx-wjhw
    label: security-advisories@github.com
tags:
  - nvd
  - exploit-available
epss: 0.02473
epssPercentile: 0.8386
exploits:
  exploitdb: true
  checkedAt: '2026-09-26T00:23:14.508Z'
exploitAvailable: true
ingestedAt: '2026-09-26T00:22:39.952Z'
---

## Overview

Horilla is a free and open source Human Resource Management System (HRMS). An authenticated Remote Code Execution (RCE) vulnerability exists in Horilla 1.3.0 due to the unsafe use of Python’s eval() function on a user-controlled query parameter in the project_bulk_archive view. This allows privileged users (e.g., administrators) to execute arbitrary system commands on the server. While having Django’s DEBUG=True makes exploitation visibly easier by returning command output in the HTTP response, this is not required. The vulnerability can still be exploited in DEBUG=False mode by using blind payloads such as a reverse shell, leading to full remote code execution. This issue has been patched in version 1.3.1.

## Affected

- `horilla = 1.3`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.