IPFire: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command
CVE-2025-34311 is a high-severity improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command vulnerability in IPFire from IPFire.org, 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. The record lists version 2.29 (Core Update 198) as the first without the flaw, so updating IPFire to that release or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 13.5% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is in the top 3.51% of all scored CVEs.
EPSS places it among the vulnerabilities most likely to be exploited soon.
What to do
- Update IPFire to 2.29 (Core Update 198) or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| IPFire.org | IPFire | before 2.29 (Core Update 198) | 2.29 (Core Update 198) |
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 4.0 | 8.7 | High | CNA (vulncheck.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
IPFire versions prior to 2.29 (Core Update 198) contain a command injection vulnerability that allows an authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands as the user 'nobody' via multiple parameters when creating a Proxy report. When a user creates a Proxy report the application issues an HTTP POST to /cgi-bin/logs.cgi/calamaris.dat and reads the values of DAY_BEGIN, MONTH_BEGIN, YEAR_BEGIN, DAY_END, MONTH_END, YEAR_END, NUM_DOMAINS, PERF_INTERVAL, NUM_CONTENT, HIST_LEVEL, NUM_HOSTS, NUM_URLS, and BYTE_UNIT, which are interpolated directly into the shell invocation of the mkreport helper. Because these parameters are never sanitized for improper characters or constructs, a crafted POST can inject shell metacharacters into one or more fields, causing arbitrary commands to run with the privileges of the 'nobody' user.
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: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Patches and release notes
- ipfire.org/blog/ipfire-2-29-core-update-198-releasedRelease Notes
Third-party and government advisories
- bugzilla.ipfire.org/show_bug.cgi?id=13886Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- vulncheck.com/advisories/ipfire-command-injection-via-proxy-report-creationThird Party Advisory
Other vulnerabilities in IPFire
- 8.8 High severity
Recent Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 8.7 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
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