CVE-2025-10359: Wavlink WL-WN578W2 Firmware RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-10359 Overview

CVE-2025-10359 is an operating system command injection vulnerability affecting the Wavlink WL-WN578W2 wireless range extender running firmware version 221110. The flaw resides in the sub_404DBC function within /cgi-bin/wireless.cgi, where the macAddr parameter is passed to a system command without proper sanitization. Remote attackers can inject arbitrary shell commands through this parameter over the network. A proof-of-concept exploit has been published publicly, and the vendor did not respond to disclosure attempts.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can execute arbitrary operating system commands on affected Wavlink devices, leading to full device compromise and potential network pivoting.

Affected Products

Wavlink WL-WN578W2 hardware device
Wavlink WL-WN578W2 firmware version M78W2_V221110
Devices exposing the /cgi-bin/wireless.cgi interface to untrusted networks

Discovery Timeline

2025-09-13 - CVE-2025-10359 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-04-29 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-10359

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an OS command injection issue mapped to [CWE-77] and [CWE-78]. The affected handler sub_404DBC processes HTTP requests submitted to /cgi-bin/wireless.cgi for MAC address filter management functionality. The macAddr argument supplied by the client is concatenated into a shell command string that is subsequently executed by the underlying operating system.

Because the input lacks validation or shell metacharacter escaping, an attacker can append command separators such as ;, |, or backticks to break out of the intended command context. The injected payload runs with the privileges of the web server process, which typically operates as root on consumer-grade router firmware. The attack requires no authentication and no user interaction, and it can be delivered remotely against any exposed management interface.

Root Cause

The root cause is the unsafe construction of an OS command string from user-controlled input inside sub_404DBC. The firmware passes the macAddr value directly to a function that invokes a shell, rather than using a parameterized API or validating that the input matches the expected MAC address format (six pairs of hexadecimal digits separated by colons or hyphens).

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network against the device's HTTP management interface. An attacker submits a crafted POST or GET request to /cgi-bin/wireless.cgi containing a malicious macAddr value that includes shell metacharacters followed by an arbitrary command. The injected command executes in the device's shell, enabling actions such as starting a reverse shell, dropping persistent backdoors, modifying firewall rules, or relaying traffic into the internal network. A public proof-of-concept is referenced in the GitHub PoC Repository and tracked as VulDB #323773.

No verified exploit code is reproduced here. Refer to the GitHub PoC Script for technical details on the request structure.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-10359

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to /cgi-bin/wireless.cgi containing shell metacharacters (;, |, &, backticks, $()) inside the macAddr parameter
Outbound connections from the router to unfamiliar hosts shortly after requests targeting wireless.cgi
Unexpected processes such as wget, curl, tftp, nc, or busybox sh spawned by the web server process on the device
Modifications to firmware configuration files, iptables rules, or DNS settings without administrator action

Detection Strategies

Inspect web server and CGI access logs for requests to /cgi-bin/wireless.cgi with malformed macAddr values that do not match a valid MAC address pattern
Deploy network intrusion detection signatures that flag HTTP POST or GET requests to wireless.cgi containing command separators
Baseline expected outbound traffic from network infrastructure devices and alert on deviations
Correlate router management plane requests with subsequent anomalous DNS lookups or scanning activity

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward router system logs and CGI access logs to a centralized logging or SIEM platform for retention and correlation
Monitor administrative interfaces of edge devices for unauthenticated POST requests originating from external IP ranges
Alert on any successful HTTP 200 response to /cgi-bin/wireless.cgi from sources outside the management subnet

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-10359

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict access to the WL-WN578W2 web management interface to trusted internal hosts only, blocking exposure from the WAN side
Place affected devices behind a firewall and disable any port forwarding or UPnP rules that publish the management port
Audit existing devices for signs of compromise using the indicators listed above and re-image firmware where suspicious activity is found
Treat affected devices as untrusted on the network until a vendor patch is available

Patch Information

No vendor patch is available at the time of publication. The vendor was contacted prior to public disclosure but did not respond, according to the advisory referenced in VulDB #323773 (CTI). Organizations should monitor the Wavlink support site for future firmware updates and apply them as soon as they are released.

Workarounds

Disable remote management on the router and require local network access for configuration changes
Segment the device onto an isolated VLAN with no route to sensitive internal assets
Replace the WL-WN578W2 with a supported device from a vendor that issues timely security patches if business risk is unacceptable
Apply network ACLs that drop inbound HTTP traffic to the device from any source except a hardened management workstation

bash

# Example iptables rules to restrict management access to a single admin host
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -s 192.0.2.10 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 192.0.2.10 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP