Sierra Wireless AirLink ALEOS Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
CVE-2018-4063 is a high-severity unrestricted upload of file with dangerous type vulnerability in Sierra Wireless, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected Sierra Wireless versions: Sierra Wireless AirLink ES450 FW 4.9.3. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on December 12, 2025, which means attacks have been observed in the wild.
Attackers are already exploiting this vulnerability, according to CISA.
What to do
- Update Aleos to 4.4.9 or 4.11.0 or 4.9.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- CISA's required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Wireless | Sierra Wireless | Sierra Wireless AirLink ES450 FW 4.9.3 | Not stated |
| Sierrawireless | Aleos | before 4.4.9; before 4.11.0; before 4.9.4 | 4.4.9, 4.11.0, 4.9.4 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- LowA basic user account is enough.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | NVD |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | CISA (ADP) |
| CVSS 2.0 | 9.0 | High | NVD |
Official description
An exploitable remote code execution vulnerability exists in the upload.cgi functionality of Sierra Wireless AirLink ES450 FW 4.9.3. A specially crafted HTTP request can upload a file, resulting in executable code being uploaded, and routable, to the webserver. An attacker can make an authenticated HTTP request to trigger this vulnerability.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type
The product allows the upload or transfer of dangerous file types that are automatically processed within its environment.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Generate a new, unique filename for an uploaded file instead of using the user-supplied filename, so that no external input is used at all.
- When the set of acceptable objects, such as filenames or URLs, is limited or known, create a mapping from a set of fixed input values (such as numeric IDs) to the actual filenames or URLs, and reject all other inputs.
- Consider storing the uploaded files outside of the web document root entirely. Then, use other mechanisms to deliver the files dynamically.
More Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerabilities (CWE-434)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
- ics-cert.us-cert.gov/advisories/ICSA-19-122-03Third Party Advisory, US Government Resource
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2018-4063US Government Resource
Technical write-ups (may include proof of concept)
- packetstormsecurity.com/files/152648/Sierra-Wireless-AirLink-ES450-ACEManager-upload.cgi-Remote-Code-Executio…Exploit, VDB Entry
- talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2018-0748Exploit, Third Party Advisory
- forescout.com/blog/ot-network-security-threats-industrial-routers-under-attack/Exploit, Third Party Advisory
Recent Unrestricted Upload of File with Dangerous Type vulnerabilities
- 6.5 Medium severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.1 High severity
Apache Tomcat Remote Code Execution Exploited
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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