CVE-2025-2725: H3C Magic Router Command Injection Vulnerability

CVE-2025-2725 Overview

CVE-2025-2725 is a command injection vulnerability affecting multiple H3C Magic series routers, including the Magic NX15, Magic NX30 Pro, Magic NX400, Magic R3010, and Magic BE18000, running firmware versions up to V100R014. The flaw resides in the HTTP POST request handler for the /api/login/auth endpoint, where unsanitized user input is passed to a shell context. An attacker with local network access can inject arbitrary operating system commands through crafted HTTP POST requests. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-74: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements in Output Used by a Downstream Component. Exploit details have been publicly disclosed, increasing the likelihood of active abuse against exposed devices.

Critical Impact
Successful exploitation grants attackers arbitrary command execution on the router, enabling full device compromise, traffic interception, and lateral movement across the LAN.

Affected Products

H3C Magic NX15, Magic NX30 Pro, Magic NX400 (firmware up to V100R014)
H3C Magic R3010 (firmware up to V100R014)
H3C Magic BE18000 (firmware up to V100R014)

Discovery Timeline

2025-03-25 - CVE-2025-2725 published to the National Vulnerability Database
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-2725

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the authentication handler exposed at /api/login/auth on the router's HTTP management interface. The endpoint accepts POST parameters and passes at least one field into a system-level command execution routine without adequate neutralization of shell metacharacters. Attackers positioned on the same local network can send a crafted authentication request that concatenates arbitrary shell commands onto the intended operation.

Because the vulnerable code path is reachable prior to full authentication and executes with the privileges of the router's web management daemon, exploitation typically yields command execution as root or an equivalent privileged account. This provides direct control over networking configuration, DNS resolution, firewall rules, and stored credentials.

EPSS models rank this issue in the upper percentile of public CVEs based on observed exploitation signals, reflecting the disclosed proof-of-concept material referenced in the GitHub CVE Information Repository.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper neutralization of special elements (CWE-74) within the HTTP POST request handler serving /api/login/auth. User-supplied input is interpolated into a command string that is later evaluated by a shell interpreter, allowing metacharacters such as ;, |, &, and backticks to break out of the intended argument context.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires adjacent network access, meaning the attacker must be on the same LAN, VLAN, or Wi-Fi segment as the router. No prior credentials are required at the application layer beyond what is needed to reach the login endpoint. An attacker sends a single HTTP POST request to /api/login/auth containing shell metacharacters in a targeted parameter. The router's request handler executes the injected commands, returning results either directly in the HTTP response or through out-of-band channels initiated by the injected payload. Technical exploitation notes are documented in the VulDB entry #300745.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-2725

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected HTTP POST requests targeting /api/login/auth containing shell metacharacters such as ;, |, &, $(, or backticks in body parameters.
Outbound connections from the router to unknown hosts shortly after authentication requests, indicating reverse shell or download activity.
Unauthorized modifications to router DNS settings, firewall rules, or administrative accounts.
New processes or cron entries running from writable directories such as /tmp on the device.

Detection Strategies

Inspect HTTP traffic on the LAN for POST requests to /api/login/auth and flag payloads containing shell control characters.
Correlate router management-plane traffic with subsequent outbound connections from the device to detect post-exploitation callbacks.
Baseline normal administrative activity on H3C Magic devices and alert on deviations in request rate, source IP, or parameter structure.

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward router syslog and web server access logs to a centralized log platform for retention and analysis.
Monitor DHCP and ARP tables for unexpected devices on management VLANs that could reach the router web interface.
Track firmware versions across the fleet and generate alerts when devices remain on vulnerable versions up to V100R014.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-2725

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict access to the router's HTTP management interface to a dedicated management VLAN and trusted administrator hosts.
Disable remote management features that expose /api/login/auth beyond the required administrative scope.
Rotate all administrative credentials on affected H3C Magic devices after applying containment measures.
Audit affected routers for signs of prior compromise, including unauthorized configuration changes and unknown processes.

Patch Information

H3C recommends upgrading affected firmware to a fixed version. Administrators should consult the H3C Software Download Page and the H3C advisory portal to obtain firmware later than V100R014 for the applicable model. Apply the update through the vendor's standard upgrade procedure and verify the reported firmware version after reboot.

Workarounds

Segment vulnerable routers onto isolated management networks with access-control lists limiting who can reach TCP ports serving the web interface.
Block untrusted client subnets from communicating with the router management IP using upstream firewall rules where feasible.
Where the device permits, disable the web management interface entirely and administer devices via a hardened out-of-band method until firmware is updated.

bash

# Example ACL restricting router management access to a trusted admin host
# Apply on an upstream L3 device, not the vulnerable router itself
access-list 110 permit tcp host 192.0.2.10 host 192.0.2.1 eq 80
access-list 110 permit tcp host 192.0.2.10 host 192.0.2.1 eq 443
access-list 110 deny   tcp any host 192.0.2.1 eq 80
access-list 110 deny   tcp any host 192.0.2.1 eq 443
access-list 110 permit ip any any