How ZeroPath Works
Back to Blog

Manager SSRF Flaw (CVE-2025-54122): Anatomy of a Critical Unauthenticated Internal Data Exposure

A critical unauthenticated Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) in Manager-io/Manager accounting software (CVE-2025-54122) allows attackers to bypass network isolation and access internal services. This post provides a technically detailed breakdown of the vulnerability, affected versions, exploitation vectors, and patch information.
CVE Analysis

8 min read

ZeroPath Security Research

ZeroPath Security Research

2025-07-21

Manager SSRF Flaw (CVE-2025-54122): Anatomy of a Critical Unauthenticated Internal Data Exposure
Experimental AI-Generated Content

This CVE analysis is an experimental publication that is completely AI-generated. The content may contain errors or inaccuracies and is subject to change as more information becomes available. We are continuously refining our process.

If you have feedback, questions, or notice any errors, please reach out to us.

[email protected]

Introduction

Attackers can remotely access sensitive internal resources and cloud metadata by exploiting a single unauthenticated HTTP request in Manager-io/Manager accounting software. This critical flaw enables bypass of network isolation and direct access to internal services, exposing organizations to data exfiltration and lateral movement risks.

About Manager-io/Manager: Manager-io develops Manager, a cross-platform open-source accounting software suite aimed at small and medium businesses. The software is available as a free Desktop Edition and as paid Server and Cloud Editions, supporting Windows, macOS, and Linux. While not a dominant player in the global accounting software market, Manager is widely used in niche business environments and offers a broad feature set for financial management (10, 34).

Technical Information

Vulnerability Mechanism

CVE-2025-54122 is a critical Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability located in the proxy handler component of Manager-io/Manager. The root cause is improper input validation of user-supplied URLs. The affected proxy handler does not adequately restrict or sanitize the url parameter, allowing remote unauthenticated attackers to force the server to make arbitrary HTTP requests on their behalf (21, 35).

Attack Vector and Exploitation

An attacker can exploit this flaw by sending a crafted HTTP request to the vulnerable proxy handler endpoint. For example:

GET /proxy?url=http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/ HTTP/1.1
Host: victim-server

This request causes the Manager server to fetch data from the AWS instance metadata service, potentially exposing sensitive cloud credentials and configuration details. The same technique can be used to access internal-only services, such as databases, administrative interfaces, or other systems not exposed to the public internet. The attack requires no authentication and can be executed remotely, making it highly impactful (25, 23).

Impact

Successful exploitation enables:

  • Reading sensitive data from cloud metadata endpoints (e.g., AWS, Azure)
  • Accessing internal network services behind firewalls
  • Enumerating internal IP ranges and services
  • Exfiltrating confidential information from isolated network segments

Affected Code Pattern

While the exact code is not provided in public advisories, the vulnerability is described as a failure to restrict the url parameter in the proxy handler, leading to full read SSRF (CWE-918).

Affected Systems and Versions

  • Products: Manager-io/Manager accounting software
  • Editions: Desktop and Server Editions
  • Versions: All versions up to and including 25.7.18.2519
  • Cloud Edition: Not affected (vendor-managed)

Patch Information

The vulnerability is fixed in Manager version 25.7.21.2525. Users must upgrade to this version or later to remediate the issue. The patch introduces strict input validation for the proxy handler, blocks requests to reserved IP ranges and metadata endpoints, and enforces authentication for proxy functionality (21, 35).

Upgrade Steps:

  1. Download the latest Manager release from the official site or GitHub.
  2. Install version 25.7.21.2525 or later on all affected systems.

Workarounds for Unpatched Systems:

  • Restrict outbound HTTP/HTTPS from Manager servers using firewall rules
  • Block access to 169.254.169.254 and internal subnets
  • Deploy reverse proxies with input validation
  • Disable the proxy handler if not required (25)

Vendor Security History

No previous vulnerabilities or formal security policy for Manager-io/Manager were found in the available sources. The vendor responded to this incident by releasing a patch and advisory within days of discovery, indicating a prompt response but no established security maturity model (33).

References

Source: This report was created using AI

If you have suggestions for improvement or feedback, please reach out to us at [email protected]

Detect & fix
what others miss

Get startedBook a demo