Overview
The cybersecurity community is raising alarms regarding a critical vulnerability found in D-Link DCS-5020L 1.01_B2. This security flaw, identified as CVE-2025-5215, pertains to a stack-based buffer overflow that can be triggered remotely. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer, making them a soft target for potential attackers. The exploit has also been made public, further amplifying the risks associated with this security flaw.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-5215
Severity: Critical (8.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Remote
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
D-Link DCS-5020L | 1.01_B2
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability resides in the function websReadEvent of the file /rame/ptdc.cgi. When an attacker manipulates the argument “Authorization”, it leads to a stack-based buffer overflow. This can allow the attacker to execute arbitrary code, leading to a potential system compromise or data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual representation of how the exploit might be carried out. This example demonstrates a malicious HTTP request that manipulates the ‘Authorization’ argument:
GET /rame/ptdc.cgi HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Authorization: Bearer [malicious_payload]In this conceptual example, the [malicious_payload] is designed to overflow the stack buffer, leading to the execution of arbitrary code.
Mitigation and Protection
Given that the affected product is no longer supported by the maintainer, applying a vendor patch is not an option. As a temporary mitigation, users are advised to implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS). These can help to identify and block attempts to exploit this vulnerability. However, these are only stopgap measures, and it is highly recommended to upgrade to a supported device or software version for a long-term solution.