Multiple OS command injection vulnerabilities exist in the swctrl functionality of Planet WGR-500 v1
Description
Multiple OS command injection vulnerabilities exist in the swctrl functionality of Planet WGR-500 v1
Remediation
Apply vendor security updates immediately. Monitor for exploitation attempts and review access logs.
Executive Summary:
A set of critical stack-based buffer overflow vulnerabilities has been identified in the
formPingCmdfunctionality of multiple network devices, including Planet WGR-500 v1. An unauthenticated remote attacker can exploit this flaw by sending a specially crafted request to the device's management interface, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution and a complete compromise of the affected system. This could allow an attacker to intercept network traffic, access the internal network, or use the device for further malicious activities.Vulnerability Details
CVE-ID: CVE-2025-54401
Affected Software: Multiple Multiple Products (including Planet WGR-500)
Affected Versions: Planet WGR-500 v1. See vendor advisory for a complete list of affected products and versions.
Vulnerability: The vulnerability is a stack-based buffer overflow within the
formPingCmdfunction, which is responsible for processing ping requests from the device's web-based management interface. An attacker can send a crafted HTTP request containing an overly long string as a parameter for the ping command. Because the function fails to properly validate the input length, this oversized input overwrites the buffer on the stack, allowing the attacker to overwrite adjacent memory, including the function's return address. By controlling the return address, an attacker can redirect the program's execution flow to malicious shellcode, achieving remote code execution with the privileges of the web server process, which is often root on embedded devices.Business Impact
This vulnerability is rated as High severity with a CVSS score of 8.8. Successful exploitation would grant an attacker complete control over the affected network device. This could lead to severe business consequences, including loss of data confidentiality through traffic sniffing (Man-in-the-Middle attacks), loss of integrity as the attacker could modify traffic in transit, and loss of availability by disabling the network device. A compromised perimeter device also provides a persistent foothold for an attacker to pivot and launch further attacks against the internal corporate network, posing a significant risk to sensitive data and critical systems.
Remediation Plan
Immediate Action: Organizations must apply the security updates provided by the respective vendors immediately to patch this vulnerability. After patching, administrators should closely monitor for any signs of exploitation attempts by reviewing device and network access logs for unusual activity targeting the management interface.
Proactive Monitoring: Implement monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts. Look for unusually long or malformed requests to the device's web interface, specifically targeting the ping functionality. Monitor for unexpected outbound connections from the network device, high CPU utilization, or unexplained reboots, as these can be indicators of a successful compromise.
Compensating Controls: If immediate patching is not feasible, implement the following compensating controls:
Exploitation Status
Public Exploit Available: false
Analyst Notes: As of October 7, 2025, there are no known public proof-of-concept exploits or active exploitation campaigns targeting this vulnerability. However, vulnerabilities of this type (unauthenticated RCE on network devices) are highly attractive to threat actors. It is common for exploits to be developed rapidly by reverse-engineering vendor patches.
Analyst Recommendation
Given the high CVSS score of 8.8 and the potential for complete system compromise, this vulnerability poses a critical risk and must be addressed with the highest priority. We strongly recommend that all organizations apply the vendor-supplied patches immediately across all affected devices. Although CVE-2025-54401 is not currently listed on the CISA KEV list, its severity and the impact of exploitation make it a likely candidate for future inclusion. Proactive patching is the most effective defense against potential future exploitation.