A proof-of-concept exploit for CVE-2025-33053, a critical zero-day vulnerability affecting WebDAV implementations that enables remote code execution through malicious URL shortcut files.
The exploit toolkit, which automates the deployment of vulnerable WebDAV servers and generates weaponized .url files, poses significant risks for phishing campaigns and lateral movement attacks within enterprise networks.
This development comes as advanced persistent threat (APT) groups have reportedly begun leveraging similar techniques for unauthorized system access and credential harvesting operations.
CVE-2025-33053 represents a critical security flaw in WebDAV server implementations that allows attackers to achieve remote code execution through carefully crafted URL shortcut files.
The recently released proof-of-concept repository provides comprehensive automation tools for exploiting this vulnerability, including both Bash and Python scripts designed to configure Apache2 WebDAV servers on Ubuntu systems.
The exploit package includes setup scripts that automatically install required Apache modules, create shared directories, and configure DAV functionality to establish a malicious WebDAV endpoint accessible via HTTP.
The PoC toolkit demonstrates how attackers can rapidly deploy vulnerable infrastructure by executing simple commands that handle the complete server configuration process.
The automated setup creates a WebDAV share at /var/www/webdav and enables necessary Apache modules including DAV and DAV_FS, while establishing proper directory permissions and restarting services.
This streamlined approach significantly lowers the technical barrier for threat actors seeking to exploit this vulnerability in real-world attack scenarios.
WebDAV 0-Day RCE Vulnerability
The core exploitation technique revolves around generating malicious .url shortcut files that leverage Windows’ automatic WebDAV connection behavior when users interact with these files.
The included gen_url.py script creates weaponized shortcuts containing UNC paths that point to attacker-controlled WebDAV servers, potentially triggering automatic authentication attempts or enabling delivery of malicious payloads.
These files can be customized with specific executables, working directories, and icon files to enhance their deceptive appearance and increase the likelihood of successful exploitation.
The generated .url files contain strategic configurations including WorkingDirectory parameters that point to WebDAV shares, ShowCommand settings that control window behavior, and IconFile specifications that masquerade as legitimate applications like Microsoft Edge.
When victims interact with these files under certain system configurations, Windows may automatically attempt to connect to the specified WebDAV server, potentially exposing credentials through NTLM authentication or enabling the execution of remotely hosted malicious code.
The flexibility of the generation script allows attackers to tailor these files for specific targets or organizational environments.
Security Implications
The public release of this exploit code significantly amplifies the threat landscape for organizations utilizing WebDAV functionality or susceptible to social engineering attacks involving file attachments.
According to Report, Security teams must implement immediate defensive measures including firewall restrictions on outbound WebDAV connections, enhanced email filtering to detect malicious .url files, and Group Policy configurations that prevent automatic WebDAV authentication.
The vulnerability’s potential for abuse in phishing campaigns and lateral movement scenarios requires urgent attention from cybersecurity professionals.
Organizations should prioritize patching WebDAV implementations, implementing strict controls on URL shortcut file execution, and monitoring network traffic for suspicious WebDAV connection attempts.
Email security solutions must be configured to detect and quarantine .url files, particularly those arriving as compressed attachments or with obfuscated file extensions designed to bypass security filters.
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