CVE-2025-41279 Overview
CVE-2025-41279 is an OS Command Injection vulnerability [CWE-78] in the Administration WebUI of the Waterfall WF-500 RX Host. Nozomi Networks Labs identified the flaw in firmware version 7.9.1.0 R2502171040. The vulnerability allows remote authenticated attackers to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the WF-500 RX Host. Waterfall Security manufactures unidirectional security gateways used in industrial and critical infrastructure networks, making compromise of the management interface a direct path to operational technology (OT) impact.
Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can execute arbitrary OS commands on the WF-500 RX Host through the Administration WebUI, leading to full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the gateway host.
Affected Products
- Waterfall Security WF-500 hardware appliance
- Waterfall Security WF-500 firmware version 7.9.1.0 R2502171040
- WF-500 RX Host Administration WebUI component
Discovery Timeline
- 2026-05-29 - CVE-2025-41279 published to NVD
- 2026-06-01 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-41279
Vulnerability Analysis
The Administration WebUI of the WF-500 RX Host fails to properly neutralize special elements before passing user-supplied input to an operating system command. An authenticated user with administrative WebUI access can inject shell metacharacters into a vulnerable parameter, causing the underlying host to execute attacker-controlled commands. Because the WF-500 acts as a unidirectional gateway between IT and OT environments, command execution on the RX Host can be leveraged to manipulate data flows, disable logging, or pivot toward connected industrial systems.
Root Cause
The vulnerability stems from improper neutralization of special elements used in an OS command [CWE-78]. Input received by the Administration WebUI is concatenated into a shell command string without adequate validation, escaping, or use of parameterized execution APIs. Shell metacharacters such as ;, |, &, and backticks retain their syntactic meaning when reaching the command interpreter.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires network access to the Administration WebUI and high-privileged authentication. An attacker who has obtained, brute-forced, or phished valid administrator credentials submits a crafted request containing shell metacharacters appended to an expected parameter value. The command interpreter on the RX Host executes the injected payload with the privileges of the WebUI backend process.
No public proof-of-concept exploit is available at this time. Refer to the Nozomi Networks Vulnerability Advisory for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-41279
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected child processes spawned by the WF-500 Administration WebUI backend, particularly shells such as /bin/sh or /bin/bash.
- Administration WebUI HTTP request logs containing shell metacharacters (;, |, &, `, $() in parameter values.
- Outbound network connections originating from the WF-500 RX Host to non-management destinations.
- New or modified files in administrator-writable directories on the RX Host following WebUI sessions.
Detection Strategies
- Inspect WebUI access logs for POST and GET requests containing encoded shell metacharacters or unexpected long parameter values.
- Correlate authenticated administrator sessions with process-creation events on the RX Host to identify anomalous command execution.
- Alert on any process lineage where the WebUI service process becomes the parent of an interactive shell or network utility.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward WF-500 syslog, authentication, and process telemetry to a centralized SIEM or data lake for correlation.
- Baseline normal administrator activity, including source IP ranges, session times, and commands invoked through the WebUI.
- Monitor for repeated failed authentications against the Administration WebUI that may precede credential-based exploitation.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-41279
Immediate Actions Required
- Restrict network reachability of the WF-500 Administration WebUI to a dedicated management VLAN and a small set of administrative jump hosts.
- Rotate all WF-500 administrator credentials and enforce strong, unique passwords with multi-factor authentication where supported.
- Audit recent WebUI activity for unexpected administrator logins or commands and investigate any anomalies.
- Contact Waterfall Security support to confirm a fixed firmware version and obtain upgrade guidance.
Patch Information
Waterfall Security has been notified through coordinated disclosure with Nozomi Networks Labs. Refer to the Nozomi Networks Vulnerability Advisory for the vendor's remediation status and apply the firmware update for the WF-500 RX Host as soon as it becomes available from Waterfall Security.
Workarounds
- Place the Administration WebUI behind a network access control list that permits only authorized management subnets.
- Disable or limit administrator accounts to the minimum required, and revoke access for unused accounts.
- Require VPN or bastion host access for any session that reaches the WF-500 management interface to reduce exposure to remote attackers.
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
