CVE-2025-57198: Avtech DGM1104 Firmware RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-57198 Overview

CVE-2025-57198 is an authenticated command injection vulnerability in the AVTECH SECURITY Corporation DGM1104 device running firmware FullImg-1015-1004-1006-1003. The flaw resides in the Machine.cgi endpoint, which fails to sanitize user-supplied input before passing it to a system shell. An authenticated attacker with low privileges can inject arbitrary operating system commands and execute them in the context of the web server process.

Critical Impact
Authenticated attackers can achieve arbitrary command execution on the device, leading to full compromise of confidentiality, integrity, and availability [CWE-77].

Affected Products

AVTECH DGM1104 hardware appliance
AVTECH DGM1104 firmware version FullImg-1015-1004-1006-1003
AVTECH SECURITY Corporation network video recorder product line based on the DGM1104 platform

Discovery Timeline

2025-12-03 - CVE-2025-57198 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-57198

Vulnerability Analysis

The DGM1104 exposes a web management interface that includes the Machine.cgi endpoint. This endpoint accepts parameters from authenticated users and incorporates them into a command string that is later evaluated by a system shell. Because the application does not validate or escape shell metacharacters, an attacker can append additional commands using characters such as ;, |, &, or backticks.

The issue is classified under [CWE-77] (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command). Successful exploitation provides shell-level access to the embedded Linux environment, typically running with elevated privileges on this class of digital video recorder. The attacker requires valid credentials, but device deployments frequently retain default or weak passwords, lowering the practical barrier to exploitation.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of input neutralization in the Machine.cgi handler. User-controlled parameters flow directly into a shell invocation without allowlist validation, parameter escaping, or the use of safer execution APIs that separate the command from its arguments.

Attack Vector

The vulnerability is reachable over the network through the device's HTTP management interface. An attacker authenticates to the web interface, then issues a crafted request to Machine.cgi containing shell metacharacters and chained commands. The injected payload executes on the underlying operating system, enabling actions such as credential theft, persistent backdoor installation, lateral movement to connected camera streams, or recruitment of the device into a botnet.

The vulnerability mechanism is documented in the GitHub CVE-2025-57198 Research repository. No verified proof-of-concept code is reproduced here.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-57198

Indicators of Compromise

HTTP requests to Machine.cgi containing shell metacharacters such as ;, |, &&, $(, or backticks in query string or POST body parameters
Unexpected outbound network connections originating from the DGM1104 device to attacker-controlled infrastructure
New or modified files in writable firmware locations, including unexpected scripts in /tmp or /var
Web server processes spawning child processes such as sh, wget, curl, nc, or busybox shortly after requests to the management interface

Detection Strategies

Inspect web access logs on the device or upstream reverse proxy for requests targeting Machine.cgi that contain encoded or raw shell metacharacters
Deploy network intrusion detection signatures that match command injection patterns against traffic destined for DGM1104 management ports
Baseline normal device behavior and alert on deviations such as new listening ports or unusual DNS lookups originating from the appliance

Monitoring Recommendations

Forward NVR and IoT device logs to a centralized log platform for correlation with authentication events and outbound traffic
Monitor authentication attempts against the DGM1104 web interface and alert on brute-force patterns that often precede authenticated exploitation
Track firmware version and configuration drift across all deployed AVTECH devices using asset inventory tooling

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-57198

Immediate Actions Required

Restrict access to the DGM1104 web management interface to trusted management networks using firewall rules or network segmentation
Rotate all administrative credentials on affected devices and remove any default or shared accounts
Remove the device from direct internet exposure and place it behind a VPN or jump host if remote access is required
Audit recent web logs for indicators of exploitation against Machine.cgi

Patch Information

No vendor patch is referenced in the NVD entry at the time of publication. Consult the Avtech Company Overview and DGM1104 Website Information for vendor advisories and firmware updates. Apply firmware updates as soon as the vendor publishes a fix for FullImg-1015-1004-1006-1003.

Workarounds

Block inbound access to the device's HTTP management port at the perimeter and from untrusted internal segments
Enforce strong, unique administrator passwords to raise the bar for authenticated exploitation
Disable remote administration features that are not required for operational use
Place the device on an isolated VLAN with egress filtering to prevent post-exploitation command-and-control traffic

bash

# Example: restrict management access to a trusted admin subnet
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp --dport 80 -s 10.10.50.0/24 -d <dgm1104_ip> -j ACCEPT
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp --dport 80 -d <dgm1104_ip> -j DROP
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.10.50.0/24 -d <dgm1104_ip> -j ACCEPT
iptables -A FORWARD -p tcp --dport 443 -d <dgm1104_ip> -j DROP