CVE-2026-24788: RaspAP raspap-webgui RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2026-24788 Overview

CVE-2026-24788 is an OS command injection vulnerability affecting RaspAP raspap-webgui versions prior to 3.3.6. This vulnerability allows authenticated users to execute arbitrary operating system commands on the underlying host system. RaspAP is a popular open-source project that provides a web-based interface for managing wireless access points on Raspberry Pi and similar devices.

Critical Impact

Authenticated attackers can achieve complete system compromise through arbitrary OS command execution, potentially leading to data theft, lateral movement within the network, or full device takeover.

Affected Products

• RaspAP raspap-webgui versions prior to 3.3.6
• Raspberry Pi devices running vulnerable RaspAP installations
• IoT and embedded devices utilizing RaspAP for wireless access point management

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-02-02 - CVE-2026-24788 published to NVD
• 2026-02-03 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-24788

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-78: Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection'). The web interface fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input before passing it to system-level commands, enabling authenticated users to inject malicious command sequences that execute with the privileges of the web application process.

The network-accessible nature of this vulnerability means any authenticated user with access to the RaspAP web interface can potentially exploit it. Given that RaspAP often runs with elevated privileges to manage network interfaces, successful exploitation could grant attackers root-level access to the underlying system.

Root Cause

The root cause lies in insufficient input validation and sanitization within the raspap-webgui codebase. User-controlled input is concatenated directly into shell commands without proper escaping or filtering of shell metacharacters. This allows attackers to break out of the intended command context and inject additional commands using techniques such as command separators (;, &&, ||), command substitution ($()), or pipe operators (|).

Attack Vector

The attack requires authenticated access to the RaspAP web interface. Once authenticated, an attacker can craft malicious input containing shell metacharacters within vulnerable form fields or API parameters. When the application processes this input and passes it to the underlying operating system shell, the injected commands execute with the same privileges as the web server process.

The vulnerability is exploitable over the network, requiring only low attack complexity and no user interaction beyond the attacker's own actions. Successful exploitation can result in high impacts to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-24788

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual process spawning from the web server process (e.g., www-data or nginx spawning shells like /bin/sh or /bin/bash)
• Unexpected network connections originating from the RaspAP host to external IP addresses
• Presence of unauthorized cron jobs, SSH keys, or user accounts on the system
• Modified system files or configuration changes not initiated by administrators

Detection Strategies

• Monitor web application logs for suspicious input patterns containing shell metacharacters (;, |, $(), backticks)
• Implement network-based intrusion detection rules for command injection patterns in HTTP traffic to RaspAP interfaces
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions to identify anomalous process execution chains originating from web server processes
• Review authentication logs for unauthorized access attempts or successful logins from unexpected sources

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on the RaspAP web interface and review logs regularly for suspicious activity
• Implement file integrity monitoring on critical system directories (/etc/, /var/www/, /home/)
• Configure alerts for any reverse shell connections or unexpected outbound traffic from the RaspAP host
• Monitor system resource utilization for anomalies that may indicate cryptomining or other malicious activities

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-24788

Immediate Actions Required

• Upgrade RaspAP raspap-webgui to version 3.3.6 or later immediately
• Restrict network access to the RaspAP web interface to trusted IP addresses only using firewall rules
• Review authentication credentials and ensure strong, unique passwords are in use
• Audit system logs and user accounts for signs of prior compromise

Patch Information

The vulnerability has been addressed in RaspAP raspap-webgui version 3.3.6. Administrators should upgrade to this version or later to remediate the vulnerability. For detailed release information and upgrade instructions, refer to the GitHub RaspAP Release Notes. Additional technical details are available in the JVN Security Advisory JVN-27202136.

Workarounds

• Place the RaspAP web interface behind a VPN or reverse proxy with additional authentication layers
• Implement network segmentation to isolate RaspAP devices from critical network resources
• Disable or restrict access to the web interface when not actively needed for administration
• Configure web application firewall rules to block requests containing common command injection payloads

# Example: Restrict access to RaspAP web interface using iptables
# Allow access only from trusted management network (192.168.1.0/24)
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -s 192.168.1.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -j DROP
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 192.168.1.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP