CVE-2025-44958 Overview
CVE-2025-44958 affects RUCKUS Network Director (RND) versions prior to 4.5. The product stores passwords in a recoverable format, allowing attackers who gain access to stored credential material to reverse it back to plaintext. CommScope, the vendor for the RUCKUS product line, has addressed the issue in version 4.5. The weakness is tracked under CWE-257: Storing Passwords in a Recoverable Format. The vulnerability was disclosed publicly through Claroty Team82, CERT/CC, and a CommScope security advisory.
Critical Impact
Attackers with access to RND credential storage can recover plaintext passwords, enabling lateral movement across managed RUCKUS network infrastructure.
Affected Products
- CommScope RUCKUS Network Director (RND) versions before 4.5
- RUCKUS-managed wireless and network infrastructure relying on RND for centralized credential management
- Deployments where RND administrative or device credentials are stored within the platform
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-08-04 - CVE CVE-2025-44958 published to NVD
- 2025-11-03 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-44958
Vulnerability Analysis
RUCKUS Network Director is a centralized management platform for large-scale RUCKUS wireless deployments. It stores credentials used to administer the platform and to communicate with managed network devices. In versions before 4.5, these passwords are saved using a reversible encoding or symmetric encryption scheme whose keys are accessible alongside the data. An attacker who obtains the credential store can recover plaintext passwords without brute forcing a hash.
The vulnerability is classified under CWE-257, which covers any password storage scheme that allows recovery to the original cleartext value. Secure storage requires a one-way function such as a salted, computationally expensive hash. Reversible storage violates this principle because compromise of the data and the key yields the original passwords.
Root Cause
The root cause is a design decision to keep passwords recoverable, likely to support features such as automated reconnection or credential replay to managed devices. The recovery capability that benefits the application also benefits any attacker who reads the same data and keys.
Attack Vector
Exploitation requires access to the stored credential material on the RND host or its backup artifacts. Paths to this access include compromise of the underlying operating system, access to filesystem backups, exposed configuration exports, or insider access. Once the data is obtained, the attacker can recover plaintext credentials offline.
No verified public proof-of-concept code is available for CVE-2025-44958. Refer to the Claroty Team82 disclosure and the CERT/CC vulnerability note 613753 for additional technical context.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-44958
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected access to RND configuration files, database exports, or backup archives outside of routine administrative workflows
- Successful logins to managed RUCKUS devices from unusual source addresses or at unusual times following any RND host compromise
- Presence of credential-dumping or archive utilities on the RND host filesystem
Detection Strategies
- Audit RND server filesystem and database for access to credential stores and configuration tables containing encrypted passwords
- Monitor administrative API and console activity for bulk exports of device configurations or credentials
- Correlate RND host authentication events with subsequent authentication attempts against managed network devices
Monitoring Recommendations
- Forward RND host operating system, application, and authentication logs to a centralized SIEM or data lake for retention and correlation
- Track integrity of credential storage files and alert on unauthorized read or copy operations
- Establish a baseline of administrative sessions and flag deviations such as new source IPs, off-hours activity, or unusual export volume
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-44958
Immediate Actions Required
- Upgrade RUCKUS Network Director to version 4.5 or later in accordance with the CommScope Security Advisory ID 20250710
- Rotate all credentials that were stored in RND prior to the upgrade, including device, service, and administrative passwords
- Restrict network access to the RND management interface to a small set of administrative hosts
Patch Information
CommScope addressed the issue in RUCKUS Network Director 4.5. Apply the upgrade following the vendor advisory, then validate that legacy credential material has been replaced. Refer to the CommScope advisory, the Claroty Team82 disclosure, and CERT/CC VU#613753.
Workarounds
- Isolate the RND server on a dedicated management VLAN with strict access control lists until the upgrade is applied
- Enforce multi-factor authentication on operating system and hypervisor access to the RND host to limit credential store exposure
- Tighten filesystem permissions on RND data directories and remove unnecessary backup copies of credential stores from shared storage
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
