CVE-2025-55108 Overview
CVE-2025-55108 is a critical vulnerability affecting BMC Control-M/Agent that enables unauthenticated remote code execution, arbitrary file read and write operations, and other unauthorized actions when mutual SSL/TLS authentication is not enabled. This occurs in the default configuration of the product, significantly expanding the attack surface for organizations using Control-M/Agent without hardened security settings.
The vulnerability is classified under CWE-306 (Missing Authentication for Critical Function), indicating that the affected component fails to properly authenticate users before performing sensitive operations. This allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on systems running vulnerable Control-M/Agent instances without any authentication credentials.
Critical Impact
Remote attackers can achieve full system compromise through unauthenticated code execution, file manipulation, and other malicious actions on Control-M/Agent systems using default configurations without mutual SSL/TLS authentication.
Affected Products
- BMC Control-M/Agent (default configuration without mutual SSL/TLS authentication)
- BMC Control-M/Agent on-premises deployments
- Note: BMC Control-M SaaS is NOT impacted by this vulnerability
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-11-05 - CVE-2025-55108 published to NVD
- 2025-11-18 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-55108
Vulnerability Analysis
This vulnerability exploits a fundamental authentication gap in BMC Control-M/Agent deployments. When mutual SSL/TLS authentication is not configured between the Control-M Server and Agent—which is the default state—the Agent accepts connections and commands from any network source without verification. This missing authentication mechanism allows attackers to interact with the Agent as if they were a legitimate Control-M Server.
The implications are severe: attackers can execute arbitrary commands on the target system, read sensitive files, write malicious content to the file system, and perform other unauthorized operations. The network-accessible nature of the vulnerability means that any attacker who can reach the Control-M/Agent service port can potentially exploit it.
BMC has noted that this vulnerability only manifests when documented security best practices are not followed. The vendor has historically recommended configuring SSL/TLS between Control-M Server and Agent components, but the default configuration does not enforce this.
Root Cause
The root cause is CWE-306: Missing Authentication for Critical Function. The Control-M/Agent service does not require authentication by default for incoming connections, allowing any network-accessible entity to send commands and receive responses. The mutual SSL/TLS authentication that would prevent this attack is an optional security configuration rather than a mandatory default setting.
Attack Vector
The attack is network-based and requires no user interaction or prior authentication. An attacker needs network access to the Control-M/Agent service port to exploit this vulnerability. The attack complexity is low once network access is obtained, and successful exploitation grants the attacker the ability to:
- Execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the Control-M/Agent service
- Read arbitrary files accessible to the Agent process
- Write or modify files on the target system
- Perform other unauthorized actions within the Agent's operational scope
The vulnerability mechanism works by sending specially crafted requests to the unprotected Agent service. Without mutual SSL/TLS authentication, the Agent cannot distinguish between legitimate Control-M Server communications and malicious attacker commands. Detailed technical exploitation information can be found in the BMC Knowledge Article #000441962.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-55108
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected network connections to Control-M/Agent service ports from unauthorized IP addresses
- Anomalous command execution or process spawning from Control-M/Agent processes
- Unusual file read/write operations performed by the Agent service account
- Log entries showing connections or commands from sources other than the legitimate Control-M Server
Detection Strategies
- Monitor network traffic to Control-M/Agent ports for connections from non-Control-M Server IP addresses
- Implement host-based intrusion detection to identify suspicious command execution originating from Agent processes
- Audit file system activity performed by the Control-M/Agent service account for anomalous patterns
- Review Control-M/Agent logs for any unauthorized access attempts or unusual operational commands
Monitoring Recommendations
- Configure network monitoring and alerting for Control-M/Agent service port access patterns
- Enable verbose logging on Control-M/Agent instances to capture connection source information
- Implement SIEM rules to correlate Agent activity with authorized Control-M Server communications
- Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor Agent process behavior
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-55108
Immediate Actions Required
- Enable mutual SSL/TLS authentication between Control-M Server and Control-M/Agent immediately
- Restrict network access to Control-M/Agent ports using firewalls to allow only authorized Control-M Server connections
- Audit all Control-M/Agent deployments to identify instances running without SSL/TLS authentication
- Monitor affected systems for indicators of compromise until patches and configurations are applied
Patch Information
BMC has published security guidance and remediation information through their support portal. Organizations should consult the following BMC Knowledge Articles for detailed patching and configuration instructions:
Organizations should prioritize applying vendor-recommended security configurations and any available patches to all Control-M/Agent installations.
Workarounds
- Configure mutual SSL/TLS authentication between Control-M Server and all Agent instances as per BMC security best practices
- Implement strict network segmentation to isolate Control-M/Agent services from untrusted network segments
- Deploy firewall rules to allow Control-M/Agent communication only from known, authorized Control-M Server IP addresses
- Consider temporary service isolation for vulnerable Agents until proper SSL/TLS configuration can be implemented
# Example network restriction using iptables (adapt to your environment)
# Allow Control-M Server communication only from authorized IP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <CONTROL-M-AGENT-PORT> -s <CONTROL-M-SERVER-IP> -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport <CONTROL-M-AGENT-PORT> -j DROP
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
