Overview
A critical vulnerability has been discovered in a range of Linksys range extender models, which is of significant concern to home users, businesses, and network administrators alike. The vulnerability, identified as CVE-2025-9363, affects the function portTriggerManageRule of the file /goform/portTriggerManageRule, leading to a stack-based buffer overflow. This vulnerability is particularly problematic due to the potential for remote exploitation, increasing the risk of system compromise or data leakage.
It is important to note that this vulnerability has been publicly disclosed with available exploit details, and the vendor, Linksys, has not provided any response or solution as of this writing. Given the critical nature of this vulnerability, immediate attention and mitigation are highly recommended.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-9363
Severity: Critical (CVSS: 8.8)
Attack Vector: Remote
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
Affected Products
Product | Affected Versions
Linksys RE6250 | 1.0.013.001
Linksys RE6300 | 1.0.04.001
Linksys RE6350 | 1.0.04.002
Linksys RE6500 | 1.1.05.003
Linksys RE7000 | 1.2.07.001
Linksys RE9000 | 1.2.07.001
How the Exploit Works
The vulnerability arises from a stack-based buffer overflow in the portTriggerManageRule function of the /goform/portTriggerManageRule file. The manipulation of the argument triggerRuleName/schedule in an HTTP request to this function can overflow the allocated buffer, leading to potential execution of arbitrary code. This code can be designed by an attacker to gain control of a system, leading to a potential system compromise or data leakage.
Conceptual Example Code
Here is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited. This could be a sample HTTP request sent to the vulnerable endpoint:
POST /goform/portTriggerManageRule HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
Content-Type: application/json
{
"triggerRuleName": "A"*5000,
"schedule": "..."
}In this example, the “triggerRuleName” argument is filled with a large amount of data (5000 ‘A’ characters), designed to overflow the buffer and potentially allow for execution of malicious code.
Mitigation
Given the severity of this vulnerability and the lack of vendor response, immediate mitigation actions are recommended. If a vendor patch becomes available, apply it immediately. In the absence of a vendor patch, using a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can provide temporary mitigation by blocking or alerting on attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Regular monitoring and updating of security systems are also essential in maintaining a robust defense against such threats.
