CVE-2025-62521: churchcrm Code Injection

Description

ChurchCRM is an open-source church management system. Prior to version 5.21.0, a pre-authentication remote code execution vulnerability in ChurchCRM's setup wizard allows unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary PHP code during the initial installation process, leading to complete server compromise. The vulnerability exists in `setup/routes/setup.php` where user input from the setup form is directly concatenated into a PHP configuration template without any validation or sanitization. Any parameter in the setup form can be used to inject PHP code that gets written to `Include/Config.php`, which is then executed on every page load. This is more severe than typical authenticated RCE vulnerabilities because it requires no credentials and affects the installation process that administrators must complete. Version 5.21.0 patches the issue.

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CVSS v3.1 Score

10.0

CRITICAL

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H

Weakness Type (CWE)

CWE-94 CWE-94

Affected Products

Vendor	Product	Versions
churchcrm	churchcrm	< 5.21.0

References

Advisories & Patches

https://github.com/ChurchCRM/CRM/security/advisories/GHSA-m8jq-j3p9-2xf3

Exploits

https://github.com/ChurchCRM/CRM/security/advisories/GHSA-m8jq-j3p9-2xf3

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-62521? +

ChurchCRM is an open-source church management system. Prior to version 5.21.0, a pre-authentication remote code execution vulnerability in ChurchCRM's setup wizard allows unauthenticated attackers to inject arbitrary PHP code during the initial installation process, leading to complete server compromise. The vulnerability exists in `setup/routes/setup.php` where user input from the setup form is directly concatenated into a PHP configuration template without any validation or sanitization. Any parameter in the setup form can be used to inject PHP code that gets written to `Include/Config.php`, which is then executed on every page load. This is more severe than typical authenticated RCE vulnerabilities because it requires no credentials and affects the installation process that administrators must complete. Version 5.21.0 patches the issue. It has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 10.0 (CRITICAL).

How severe is CVE-2025-62521? +

CVE-2025-62521 has a CVSS v3.1 score of 10.0 out of 10, rated CRITICAL. This is a critical vulnerability that should be patched immediately.

What products are affected by CVE-2025-62521? +

CVE-2025-62521 affects products from churchcrm, specifically: churchcrm. Check the affected products table above for specific version ranges.

How do I check if I'm vulnerable to CVE-2025-62521? +

You can use Secably's free Website Scanner to check your website for known vulnerabilities. For infrastructure scanning, use the Port Scanner to identify exposed services that may be affected. Check the vendor advisories linked above for specific patch and version information.

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