Overview
CVE-2025-59361 is a severe cybersecurity vulnerability that impacts the Chaos Controller Manager. It poses a significant risk to any organization using the affected versions of the software, as it allows unauthenticated in-cluster attackers to execute arbitrary code remotely across the network. Given the severity of this vulnerability, understanding its implications and implementing mitigation strategies is of utmost importance to safeguard the integrity of systems and data.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-59361
Severity: Critical (CVSS: 9.8)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: System Compromise, Potential Data Leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Chaos Controller Manager | All previous versions before the patched release
How the Exploit Works
This vulnerability stems from the cleanIptables mutation in Chaos Controller Manager, which is prone to OS command injection. An attacker can send a specially crafted request that misuses this mutation, leading to arbitrary command execution. When used in conjunction with CVE-2025-59358, this allows unauthenticated in-cluster attackers to perform remote code execution across the cluster, potentially leading to a total system compromise or data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
An attacker might exploit this vulnerability by sending an HTTP request similar to the following:
POST /cleanIptables HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{ "command": ";rm -rf / --no-preserve-root;" }In this hypothetical example, the “command” field’s value is a malicious payload that would delete all files on the system, causing a devastating impact.
Mitigation and Recommendations
The most effective mitigation for this vulnerability is to apply the official patch provided by the vendor, which addresses the underlying issues causing this vulnerability. However, until such a patch can be applied, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or an Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can offer temporary mitigation. These tools can help detect and block malicious requests attempting to exploit this vulnerability.
It’s also important to monitor network traffic and system logs for any unusual activity that could indicate an exploitation attempt. This includes any suspicious commands or processes related to the cleanIptables mutation.
Lastly, always follow the principle of least privilege. This will limit the potential damage an attacker could do if they manage to exploit this vulnerability.
In conclusion, CVE-2025-59361 is a severe vulnerability that poses a significant risk to system integrity and data security. It’s crucial to apply the vendor’s patch or implement temporary mitigation measures as soon as possible to protect your systems.
