Overview
This blog post provides a comprehensive analysis of a critical vulnerability in CommScope Ruckus Unleashed systems, identified as CVE-2025-46121. This vulnerability poses a severe threat to organizations utilizing the affected software versions, as it allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on the system controller. This vulnerability is significant due to the potential for system compromise or data leakage, which could lead to devastating consequences including loss of sensitive data, disruption of operations, and reputational damage.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-46121
Severity: Critical (9.8 CVSS)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System compromise, data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
CommScope Ruckus Unleashed | Prior to 200.15.6.212.14 and 200.17.7.0.139
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability resides in the functions `stamgr_cfg_adpt_addStaFavourite` and `stamgr_cfg_adpt_addStaIot` of CommScope Ruckus Unleashed, where a client hostname is passed directly to snprintf as the format string. An attacker can exploit this flaw in two ways. First, a crafted request can be sent to the authenticated endpoint `/admin/_conf.jsp`. Alternatively, the attacker can spoof the MAC address of a favourite station and include malicious format specifiers in the DHCP hostname field. Both methods lead to unauthenticated format-string processing and potential arbitrary code execution on the controller.
Conceptual Example Code
In the following conceptual example, an HTTP request is sent to the vulnerable endpoint with a malicious hostname containing format specifiers. This could be used to manipulate memory and execute arbitrary code on the vulnerable system.
POST /admin/_conf.jsp HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{ "hostname": "%n%n%n%n" }Impact
A successful exploit of this vulnerability can lead to complete system compromise or data leakage. The attacker could potentially gain full control over the affected system, manipulate data, disrupt operations, or even use the compromised system as a launch pad for further attacks within the network.
Mitigation
To address this vulnerability, users are advised to apply the vendor patch as soon as possible. Until the patch can be applied, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) may be used as temporary mitigation. This should, however, not be considered a long-term solution due to the high risk associated with this vulnerability. It’s crucial to keep systems up-to-date and follow best security practices to minimize exposure to such threats.