CVE-2025-30510: Growatt Cloud Portal Path Traversal Flaw

CVE-2025-30510 Overview

CVE-2025-30510 is a critical arbitrary file upload vulnerability affecting the Growatt Cloud Portal. An attacker can exploit this flaw to upload an arbitrary file instead of a legitimate plant image, bypassing intended file type restrictions. This vulnerability falls under CWE-351 (Insufficient Type Distinction), where the application fails to properly distinguish between different file types during the upload process.

The Growatt Cloud Portal is used for monitoring and managing solar energy systems, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for critical infrastructure environments. Successful exploitation could allow attackers to upload malicious files such as web shells, potentially leading to full system compromise.

Critical Impact

This arbitrary file upload vulnerability in the Growatt Cloud Portal could enable remote attackers to upload malicious files without authentication, potentially resulting in remote code execution and complete system takeover of the solar energy monitoring infrastructure.

Affected Products

• Growatt Cloud Portal (all versions prior to patch)

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-04-15 - CVE-2025-30510 published to NVD
• 2025-11-14 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-30510

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability exists in the file upload functionality of the Growatt Cloud Portal where users can upload plant images. The application fails to implement proper file type validation, allowing attackers to bypass the intended restrictions and upload arbitrary files. This insufficient type distinction (CWE-351) means the system cannot reliably differentiate between legitimate image files and potentially malicious file types.

The network-based attack vector requires no authentication or user interaction, making it particularly dangerous. An attacker can remotely exploit this vulnerability without needing valid credentials or convincing a user to perform any action. The vulnerability has high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2025-30510 is the insufficient validation of file types during the upload process. The application relies on inadequate checks—potentially only verifying the file extension or MIME type provided by the client—rather than implementing robust server-side validation of the actual file content. This allows attackers to manipulate requests to bypass any client-side restrictions and upload files with arbitrary content.

Attack Vector

The attack can be executed remotely over the network against the Growatt Cloud Portal's file upload endpoint. An attacker would craft a malicious HTTP request containing an arbitrary file (such as a PHP web shell or executable) while masquerading it as a legitimate plant image upload. The attack flow typically involves:

1. Identifying the file upload endpoint in the Growatt Cloud Portal
2. Crafting a multipart form request with a malicious file payload
3. Manipulating headers or file extensions to bypass client-side validation
4. Uploading the malicious file to the server
5. Accessing the uploaded file to execute arbitrary code or establish persistence

The vulnerability requires no authentication and no user interaction, allowing for automated exploitation at scale against vulnerable instances.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-30510

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected file types in the plant image upload directory (e.g., .php, .jsp, .aspx, .exe files)
• Anomalous HTTP POST requests to the file upload endpoint with unusual content types
• Web shell signatures or suspicious scripts in directories intended for image storage
• Unusual outbound network connections from the web server

Detection Strategies

• Implement file integrity monitoring on upload directories to detect unauthorized file types
• Monitor HTTP traffic for multipart form uploads containing non-image file extensions
• Deploy web application firewall (WAF) rules to inspect and block suspicious file uploads
• Analyze server logs for repeated upload attempts with varying file types from single sources

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable detailed logging on the Growatt Cloud Portal's file upload functionality
• Configure alerts for any uploaded files that fail image validation checks
• Monitor for execution of newly created files in web-accessible directories
• Implement network-based detection for command-and-control traffic patterns indicative of web shell activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-30510

Immediate Actions Required

• Review the CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-25-105-04 for official guidance
• Restrict network access to the Growatt Cloud Portal to trusted IP addresses only
• Implement web application firewall rules to block suspicious file uploads
• Audit existing uploaded files for any potentially malicious content
• Consider temporarily disabling the file upload functionality until a patch is applied

Patch Information

Administrators should consult the CISA ICS Advisory ICSA-25-105-04 for detailed patching guidance and any available vendor updates. Growatt customers should contact the vendor directly for the latest security patches addressing this vulnerability.

Workarounds

• Implement strict network segmentation to isolate the Growatt Cloud Portal from critical systems
• Configure the web server to prevent execution of uploaded files by removing execute permissions and disabling script handlers in upload directories
• Deploy a reverse proxy with file type validation to inspect uploads before they reach the application
• Enable authentication requirements for all file upload endpoints as an additional layer of defense

# Example: Apache configuration to disable script execution in upload directory
<Directory "/var/www/growatt/uploads">
    Options -ExecCGI -Indexes
    AllowOverride None
    RemoveHandler .php .phtml .php3 .php4 .php5 .phps
    <FilesMatch "\.(php|phtml|php3|php4|php5|phps)$">
        Require all denied
    </FilesMatch>
</Directory>