CVE-2025-6561: Hunt Electronic DVR Information Disclosure

CVE-2025-6561 Overview

CVE-2025-6561 is a critical Sensitive Information Exposure vulnerability affecting certain Hunt Electronic hybrid DVR models. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated remote attackers to directly access a system configuration file and obtain plaintext administrator credentials. This flaw enables complete unauthorized access to affected surveillance systems without requiring any authentication.

Critical Impact

Unauthenticated attackers can remotely retrieve plaintext administrator credentials, enabling full system compromise of affected DVR devices.

Affected Products

• Hunt Electronic HBF-09KD Hybrid DVR
• Hunt Electronic HBF-16NK Hybrid DVR

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-06-26 - CVE-2025-6561 published to NVD
• 2025-06-26 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-6561

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-256 (Plaintext Storage of a Password), indicating that the affected Hunt Electronic DVR devices store administrator credentials in an unprotected configuration file. The security flaw allows remote attackers to access this configuration file directly over the network without any authentication requirements.

The vulnerability represents a fundamental security design flaw where sensitive credential information is stored without encryption or access controls. An attacker with network access to the device can retrieve the configuration file containing plaintext administrator passwords, gaining immediate privileged access to the DVR system.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is the improper handling and storage of sensitive credential information. The affected DVR models store administrator passwords in plaintext within a system configuration file that is accessible without authentication. This violates fundamental security principles of credential protection and access control, exposing sensitive administrative credentials to any network-connected attacker.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:

1. Identifying a vulnerable Hunt Electronic DVR device (HBF-09KD or HBF-16NK) on the network
2. Directly accessing the exposed system configuration file endpoint
3. Retrieving plaintext administrator credentials from the configuration data
4. Using the obtained credentials to gain full administrative access to the DVR system

The vulnerability is particularly dangerous for internet-exposed DVR systems, as it requires no prior access or special conditions to exploit. Once credentials are obtained, attackers gain complete control over the surveillance system, including the ability to view live feeds, access recorded footage, modify system settings, or disable surveillance entirely.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-6561

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected or unauthorized access to DVR configuration files from external IP addresses
• Multiple authentication attempts or logins from unknown sources using admin credentials
• Unusual network traffic patterns targeting DVR web interfaces or configuration endpoints
• Evidence of configuration file access in system logs from unauthenticated sessions

Detection Strategies

• Monitor network traffic for HTTP requests targeting known DVR configuration file paths
• Implement network intrusion detection rules for suspicious access attempts to DVR management interfaces
• Review authentication logs for successful logins from unexpected geographic locations or IP addresses
• Deploy honeypot configurations to detect reconnaissance activity targeting DVR systems

Monitoring Recommendations

• Isolate DVR devices on dedicated network segments with restricted access
• Enable comprehensive logging on all DVR systems and forward logs to a centralized SIEM
• Implement network flow analysis to detect unauthorized data exfiltration from DVR devices
• Regularly audit DVR access logs for signs of credential theft or unauthorized administrative access

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-6561

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove affected Hunt Electronic DVR devices (HBF-09KD and HBF-16NK) from direct internet exposure immediately
• Place DVR systems behind a properly configured firewall with strict access controls
• Change all administrator credentials on affected devices and any systems where those credentials may have been reused
• Implement network segmentation to isolate surveillance systems from general network traffic
• Monitor for signs of unauthorized access that may indicate credentials have already been compromised

Patch Information

At the time of publication, no vendor patch information has been provided. Organizations should monitor the TWCERT Security Advisory for updates on remediation guidance from the vendor. Contact Hunt Electronic directly for firmware updates or security patches addressing this vulnerability.

Workarounds

• Implement strict network access controls limiting DVR access to authorized management systems only
• Deploy a VPN or jump host architecture requiring authentication before DVR access is possible
• Use firewall rules to block external access to DVR web interfaces and configuration endpoints
• Consider replacing affected devices with DVR systems that implement proper credential storage and access controls
• Implement network monitoring to alert on any external access attempts to DVR systems

# Example firewall rule to restrict DVR access (iptables)
# Block external access to DVR web interface (adjust IP ranges as needed)
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -s ! 192.168.1.0/24 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s ! 192.168.1.0/24 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 8080 -s ! 192.168.1.0/24 -j DROP