SteelCentral NetExpress: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command
CVE-2025-34112 is a critical-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command vulnerability in SteelCentral NetExpress from Riverbed Technology, with a CVSS 4.0 base score of 10.0 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. Affected SteelCentral NetExpress versions: 10.8.7. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 2.82% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 87% of scored CVEs.
Critical severity: a successful attack would have severe impact.
What to do
- Check which version of SteelCentral NetExpress you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverbed Technology | SteelCentral NetExpress | 10.8.7 | Not stated |
| Riverbed Technology | SteelCentral NetProfiler | 10.8.7 | Not stated |
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.
- Attack requirements
- NoneThe attack does not depend on a particular deployment or configuration.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Confidentiality (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of confidentiality on the vulnerable system.
- Integrity (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of integrity on the vulnerable system.
- Availability (vulnerable system)
- HighSerious loss of availability on the vulnerable system.
- Confidentiality (other systems)
- HighSerious loss of confidentiality on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Integrity (other systems)
- HighSerious loss of integrity on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
- Availability (other systems)
- HighSerious loss of availability on systems beyond the vulnerable one.
Vector: CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:H/SI:H/SA:H/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X. Scored by CNA (vulncheck.com).
Official description
An authenticated multi-stage remote code execution vulnerability exists in Riverbed SteelCentral NetProfiler and NetExpress 10.8.7 virtual appliances. A SQL injection vulnerability in the '/api/common/1.0/login' endpoint can be exploited to create a new user account in the appliance database. This user can then trigger a command injection vulnerability in the '/index.php?page=licenses' endpoint to execute arbitrary commands. The attacker may escalate privileges to root by exploiting an insecure sudoers configuration that allows the 'mazu' user to execute arbitrary commands as root via SSH key extraction and command chaining. Successful exploitation allows full remote root access to the virtual appliance.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command
The product constructs all or part of an OS command using externally-influenced input from an upstream component, but it does not neutralize or incorrectly neutralizes special elements that could modify the intended OS command before it is sent to a downstream component.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- If at all possible, use library calls rather than external processes to recreate the desired functionality.
- For any data that will be used to generate a command to be executed, keep as much of that data out of external control as possible. For example, in web applications, this may require storing the data locally in the session's state instead of sending it out to the client in a hidden form field.
- For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
More Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities (CWE-78)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: poc, automatable: yes, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities
- 9.3 Critical severity
- 8.9 High severity
- 8.1 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 9.5 Critical severity
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