CVE-2025-1101: Q-free Maxtime Auth Bypass Vulnerability

CVE-2025-1101 Overview

CVE-2025-1101 is an Observable Response Discrepancy vulnerability [CWE-204] in the login page of Q-Free MaxTime version 2.11.0 and earlier. The flaw allows an unauthenticated remote attacker to enumerate valid usernames by observing differences in HTTP responses returned by the login endpoint. Attackers can send crafted login requests and infer whether a submitted username exists based on subtle discrepancies in the server response. Successful enumeration provides adversaries with a validated list of accounts for follow-on password guessing, credential stuffing, or targeted phishing.

Critical Impact
Unauthenticated remote attackers can build a list of valid MaxTime user accounts, enabling downstream credential attacks against the traffic management platform.

Affected Products

Q-Free MaxTime versions less than or equal to 2.11.0

Discovery Timeline

2025-02-12 - CVE-2025-1101 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-1101

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the authentication response handling of the Q-Free MaxTime login page. When a client submits credentials, the application returns responses that differ measurably based on whether the supplied username exists in the backend user store. These discrepancies can appear in HTTP status codes, response body content, response length, or timing characteristics.

An unauthenticated remote attacker can script HTTP requests against the login endpoint and iterate through candidate usernames. Comparing responses reveals which accounts are valid. Because the attack targets only confidentiality of account identifiers, integrity and availability of the application remain unaffected. However, confirmed usernames materially reduce the search space for password spraying and brute-force campaigns against MaxTime, a system used in intelligent transportation infrastructure.

Root Cause

The underlying weakness is a failure to enforce uniform authentication responses. The application distinguishes between "unknown user" and "invalid password" conditions at the response layer instead of returning identical messages, status codes, and processing times for all failed authentication attempts.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires only network access to the MaxTime login interface. No authentication, user interaction, or elevated privileges are needed. An attacker sends a series of crafted HTTP POST requests containing candidate usernames and analyzes response differentials to confirm account existence. Refer to the Nozomi Networks Vulnerability Advisory for full technical details on the observable discrepancies.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-1101

Indicators of Compromise

High volumes of failed login attempts from a single source IP against the MaxTime /login endpoint within a short time window.
Sequential or dictionary-ordered username submissions in web server access logs.
User-Agent strings associated with HTTP fuzzing tools such as ffuf, wfuzz, hydra, or custom Python clients hitting the login page.

Detection Strategies

Baseline normal authentication traffic to the MaxTime web interface and alert on statistical deviations in request rate or unique usernames per source.
Correlate login POST requests with distinct response sizes or status codes to identify enumeration probing patterns.
Deploy web application firewall rules that rate-limit authentication endpoints and flag automated request signatures.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable verbose logging on the MaxTime web server, capturing request bodies, response codes, and response lengths for the login endpoint.
Forward authentication logs to a centralized SIEM or data lake for longitudinal analysis and anomaly identification.
Monitor for follow-on activity such as password spraying targeting usernames that appeared in prior enumeration probes.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-1101

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict network access to the MaxTime login interface to trusted management networks via firewall or VPN.
Enable account lockout and progressive throttling on failed login attempts to slow enumeration and brute-force attempts.
Review authentication logs for prior enumeration activity and reset passwords for any accounts observed in suspicious probing.

Patch Information

Q-Free MaxTime versions after 2.11.0 should be evaluated for fixes. Consult the Nozomi Networks Vulnerability Advisory and contact Q-Free directly for the current patched release addressing CVE-2025-1101.

Workarounds

Place the MaxTime web interface behind a reverse proxy that normalizes authentication responses and enforces rate limiting.
Deploy a WAF policy that returns uniform responses for all failed authentication attempts, masking backend discrepancies.
Require multi-factor authentication so that enumerated usernames cannot be trivially converted into account takeover.

bash

# Example nginx rate limit for the MaxTime login endpoint
limit_req_zone $binary_remote_addr zone=maxtime_login:10m rate=5r/m;

location /login {
    limit_req zone=maxtime_login burst=3 nodelay;
    proxy_pass http://maxtime_backend;
}