CVE-2025-8480: Alpine iLX-507 Firmware RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-8480 Overview

CVE-2025-8480 is a command injection vulnerability affecting the Alpine iLX-507 in-vehicle infotainment head unit. The flaw resides in the Tidal music streaming application bundled with the device firmware. The application passes a user-supplied string into a system call without proper validation, enabling arbitrary code execution. Exploitation requires no authentication but does require user interaction and network adjacency to the target device. The Zero Day Initiative tracked this issue as ZDI-CAN-26357 and published advisory ZDI-25-766.

Critical Impact
Network-adjacent attackers can execute arbitrary code on the Alpine iLX-507 without authentication, gaining control over the in-vehicle infotainment device.

Affected Products

Alpine iLX-507 hardware (cpe:2.3:h:alpsalpine:ilx-507)
Alpine iLX-507 firmware version 6.0.000
In-vehicle infotainment deployments running the bundled Tidal streaming application

Discovery Timeline

2025-08-01 - CVE-2025-8480 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-8480

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability exists in the Tidal music streaming application that ships with the Alpine iLX-507 firmware. The application constructs a system command using attacker-controllable input without sanitizing shell metacharacters or validating the supplied string. When the crafted input reaches the underlying system call, the operating system interprets injected operators and executes attacker-supplied commands. Code runs in the security context of the device process handling the streaming application, which on embedded automotive head units typically provides broad access to device functions and connected vehicle interfaces.

The CWE classification is [CWE-22], reflecting improper handling of input that traverses a trust boundary into a system-level interpreter. Exploitation requires the victim to perform an action such as interacting with attacker-controlled streaming content or connecting to a malicious endpoint. The attack vector is adjacent network, meaning the attacker must share a logical network with the device, such as a paired Wi-Fi hotspot or Bluetooth-bridged session.

Root Cause

The root cause is the absence of input validation and command argument escaping in the Tidal application's invocation of a system call. User-controllable data flows directly into a shell-interpreted command string, allowing metacharacters such as ;, |, &&, and backticks to terminate the intended command and launch additional processes.

Attack Vector

An attacker positioned on the same network as the head unit delivers a crafted payload to the Tidal application. After the user triggers the affected code path, the embedded operating system executes the injected commands. Successful exploitation yields arbitrary code execution on the device with the privileges of the streaming application.

No public proof-of-concept code is available. Refer to the Zero Day Initiative Advisory ZDI-25-766 for additional technical context.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-8480

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected child processes spawned by the Tidal streaming application on the iLX-507
Outbound network connections from the head unit to unfamiliar hosts following streaming activity
Modifications to firmware configuration files or persistence locations on the device

Detection Strategies

Monitor in-vehicle network segments for adjacent-network reconnaissance against Alpine head units
Inspect Wi-Fi and Bluetooth pairing logs for unauthorized connections preceding anomalous device behavior
Where vendor telemetry is available, alert on system call invocations from the Tidal application containing shell metacharacters

Monitoring Recommendations

Capture and review network traffic between paired mobile devices and the head unit for malformed streaming metadata
Audit firmware versions across fleet vehicles and flag any units still on firmware 6.0.000
Track vendor advisories from Alps Alpine and the Zero Day Initiative for related disclosures

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-8480

Immediate Actions Required

Disable or avoid use of the Tidal application on the iLX-507 until a vendor patch is applied
Restrict network adjacency by disabling unused Wi-Fi hotspot and Bluetooth pairing modes on the head unit
Inventory affected units running firmware 6.0.000 and prioritize them for service updates

Patch Information

No vendor advisory or patched firmware version is listed in the public CVE record at the time of writing. Consult Alps Alpine support channels and the Zero Day Initiative Advisory ZDI-25-766 for remediation status and firmware update availability.

Workarounds

Do not pair the head unit with untrusted mobile devices or networks
Avoid streaming content from unverified Tidal sources or shared accounts on affected vehicles
Where feasible, isolate the infotainment network from other vehicle bus interfaces until firmware is updated

bash

# Configuration example: verify installed firmware version via the Alpine head unit
# settings menu before deploying any vendor-provided update
Settings > General > System Information > Firmware Version
# If the displayed version is 6.0.000, the unit is affected by CVE-2025-8480