CVE-2025-24297: Growatt Cloud Portal XSS Vulnerability

CVE-2025-24297 Overview

CVE-2025-24297 is a Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) vulnerability affecting the Growatt Cloud Portal, a web-based platform used for monitoring and managing solar inverters and energy systems. Due to a lack of server-side input validation, attackers can inject malicious JavaScript code into users' personal spaces within the web portal. This vulnerability enables attackers to execute arbitrary scripts in the context of authenticated users, potentially leading to session hijacking, credential theft, and unauthorized actions on behalf of victims.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can inject malicious JavaScript into user spaces, enabling session hijacking, data theft, and complete account compromise of Growatt Cloud Portal users managing critical energy infrastructure.

Affected Products

• Growatt Cloud Portal (all versions)
• Solar inverter management systems using Growatt Cloud Portal
• Energy monitoring deployments utilizing Growatt web interface

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-04-15 - CVE-2025-24297 published to NVD
• 2025-11-14 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-24297

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from a fundamental failure to implement proper server-side input validation and output encoding within the Growatt Cloud Portal web application. When users interact with their personal spaces—areas where configuration data, device information, or custom settings are stored—the application accepts and stores user-supplied input without adequate sanitization. Subsequently, when this stored data is rendered back to users or other visitors, the malicious JavaScript payload executes in the victim's browser context.

The attack requires no authentication to execute, making it particularly dangerous. An attacker can craft malicious input containing JavaScript payloads that persist within the application, creating a stored XSS condition. When legitimate users access the affected pages, the injected scripts execute with their session privileges.

Given that the Growatt Cloud Portal manages critical energy infrastructure including solar inverters and power systems, successful exploitation could enable attackers to manipulate energy production data, alter device configurations, or pivot to connected industrial control systems.

Root Cause

The root cause is classified under CWE-79 (Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation), commonly known as Cross-Site Scripting. The application fails to validate and sanitize user input on the server side before storing it in the database. Additionally, when rendering stored content back to users, the application does not properly encode special characters, allowing injected script tags and JavaScript code to be interpreted as executable content rather than benign text.

Attack Vector

The attack is executed over the network without requiring authentication or user interaction. An attacker identifies input fields within the Growatt Cloud Portal's personal spaces feature that accept and store user-provided data. By submitting carefully crafted input containing JavaScript code (such as <script> tags or event handlers), the malicious payload becomes permanently stored in the application's backend.

When any user subsequently accesses the affected page or personal space, their browser receives the stored malicious content as part of the legitimate page response. The browser interprets and executes the JavaScript, allowing the attacker to steal session cookies, capture credentials, redirect users to phishing sites, or perform actions on behalf of the victim within the energy management platform.

The vulnerability mechanism involves inadequate input sanitization allowing script injection through user-controlled fields in personal space areas. For detailed technical information, consult the CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-25-105-04.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-24297

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual JavaScript payloads or <script> tags appearing in user-generated content fields within the Growatt Cloud Portal database
• Unexpected outbound connections from user browsers to external domains when accessing personal spaces
• Session tokens or authentication cookies being transmitted to unauthorized third-party servers
• Reports from users experiencing unexpected redirects or pop-ups when accessing their portal dashboards

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block common XSS patterns in HTTP requests targeting the Growatt Cloud Portal
• Deploy content security policy (CSP) headers and monitor for CSP violation reports indicating attempted script injection
• Review server-side logs for requests containing encoded script tags, event handlers, or JavaScript URIs in form parameters
• Conduct periodic database audits to identify stored content containing suspicious HTML or JavaScript elements

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging for all user input submissions to personal space features within the portal
• Configure alerts for CSP violations that indicate inline script execution attempts
• Monitor network traffic for connections to known malicious domains from systems accessing the Growatt Cloud Portal
• Implement real-time monitoring of database writes to detect potential XSS payload storage

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-24297

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict access to the Growatt Cloud Portal from untrusted networks until patches are applied
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with XSS protection rules in front of the portal
• Advise users to avoid accessing personal spaces and review any suspicious activity in their accounts
• Enable Content Security Policy (CSP) headers at the web server or reverse proxy level to restrict script execution

Patch Information

Organizations should consult the CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-25-105-04 for official vendor guidance and remediation steps. Contact Growatt directly for the latest firmware or software updates that address this vulnerability. Ensure all instances of the Cloud Portal are updated to patched versions as soon as they become available.

Workarounds

• Deploy a reverse proxy with strict input validation and output encoding to sanitize all user input before it reaches the application
• Implement strict Content Security Policy (CSP) headers to prevent inline script execution: Content-Security-Policy: default-src 'self'; script-src 'self';
• Restrict portal access to trusted IP ranges or require VPN connectivity until a permanent fix is deployed
• Conduct a thorough review of existing stored data to identify and remove any injected malicious content

# Example CSP header configuration for Apache
# Add to httpd.conf or .htaccess for Growatt Cloud Portal
Header set Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline'; img-src 'self' data:; frame-ancestors 'none';"

# Example CSP header configuration for Nginx
# Add to server block configuration
add_header Content-Security-Policy "default-src 'self'; script-src 'self'; style-src 'self' 'unsafe-inline'; img-src 'self' data:; frame-ancestors 'none';" always;