CVE-2025-61773 is a high-severity (CVSS 8.1) CWE-74 vulnerability in pyload-ng. A fix is available for pyload-ng — see the affected versions and patch details below.
pyLoad CNL and captcha handlers allow code Injection via unsanitized parameters
Exploitation Status
Proof-of-concept exploit code exists
- CISA’s SSVC triage found public proof-of-concept exploit code for this CVE, though no confirmed active exploitation.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA’s SSVC triage for CVE-2025-61773.
EPSS Exploitation Probability
Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days, from FIRST.org EPSS.
How urgent is this, really
Where this sits among everything scored
Real-World Exposure
pyload-ngReal-time download stats are indexed for npm and PyPI packages. This vulnerability affects PyPI packages — download data is not available via public APIs for these ecosystems.
Description
Summary
pyLoad web interface contained insufficient input validation in both the Captcha script endpoint and the Click'N'Load (CNL) Blueprint. This flaw allowed untrusted user input to be processed unsafely, which could be exploited by an attacker to inject arbitrary content into the web UI or manipulate request handling. The vulnerability could lead to client-side code execution (XSS) or other unintended behaviors when a malicious payload is submitted.
user-supplied parameters from HTTP requests were not adequately validated or sanitized before being passed into the application logic and response generation. This allowed crafted input to alter the expected execution flow. CNL (Click'N'Load) blueprint exposed unsafe handling of untrusted parameters in HTTP requests. The application did not consistently enforce input validation or encoding, making it possible for an attacker to craft malicious requests.
PoC
- Run a vulnerable version of pyLoad prior to commit
f9d27f2. - Start the web UI and access the Captcha or CNL endpoints.
- Submit a crafted request containing malicious JavaScript payloads in unvalidated parameters (
/flash/addcrypted2?jk=function(){alert(1)}&crypted=12345). - Observe that the payload is reflected and executed in the client’s browser, demonstrating cross-site scripting (XSS).
Example request:
GET /flash/addcrypted2?jk=function(){alert(1)}&crypted=12345 HTTP/1.1
Host: 127.0.0.1:8000
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded
Content-Length: 107
Refferences
Impact
Exploiting this vulnerability allows an attacker to inject and execute arbitrary JavaScript within the browser session of a user accessing the pyLoad Web UI. In practice, this means an attacker could impersonate an administrator, steal authentication cookies or tokens, and perform unauthorized actions on behalf of the victim. Because the affected endpoints are part of the core interface, a successful attack undermines the trust and security of the entire application, potentially leading to a full compromise of the management interface and the data it controls. The impact is particularly severe in cases where the Web UI is exposed over a network without additional access restrictions, as it enables remote attackers to directly target users with crafted links or requests that trigger the vulnerability.
Affected Packages
| Ecosystem | Package | Vulnerable range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🐍PyPI | pyload-ng | all versions | 0.5.0b3.dev91pip install --upgrade 'pyload-ng==0.5.0b3.dev91' |
Detection & mitigation playbook
Open-source dependencyDetect
Scan your dependency tree (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, requirements.txt, go.sum, etc.) for pyload-ng, including transitive dependencies — a direct dependency you never call can still pull in a vulnerable version.
Fix
Update pyload-ng to 0.5.0b3.dev91 or later, then make sure no transitive (indirect) dependency still pins the vulnerable range — O3 confirms CVE-2025-61773 is resolved across your whole dependency graph.
Workarounds
Stop passing untrusted input into the interpreter or shell: call the affected binary with an argument array rather than a composed command string, reject anything outside a strict allowlist of expected values, and run the component under an account that cannot reach beyond the work it legitimately does.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2025-61773 in your dependencies?
Find it across PyPI, including transitive dependencies.