Overview
This blog post is intended to guide the cybersecurity community through the details of a serious vulnerability, CVE-2025-44957, that affects the Ruckus SmartZone (SZ) before 6.1.2p3 Refresh Build. This vulnerability is of high importance due to its ability to allow authentication bypass through a valid API key and carefully crafted HTTP headers. The severity of this vulnerability is amplified by the potential system compromise or data leakage it may cause, posing a significant risk to organizations that utilize this product.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-44957
Severity: High (8.5 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Network
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Impact: Potential system compromise or data leakage
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Product | Affected Versions
Ruckus SmartZone | Before 6.1.2p3 Refresh Build
How the Exploit Works
The exploit takes advantage of a vulnerability in the Ruckus SmartZone’s API implementation. By using a valid API key combined with manipulated HTTP headers, an attacker can bypass the authentication procedure. This bypass allows unauthorized access to system resources, potentially leading to system compromise or data leakage. This exploit can be carried out remotely, and does not require any user interaction or special privileges.
Conceptual Example Code
The following conceptual example demonstrates how the vulnerability might be exploited using an HTTP request.
POST /api/endpoint HTTP/1.1
Host: target.example.com
API-Key: VALID_API_KEY
Content-Type: application/json
X-Auth-Bypass: true
{ "malicious_payload": "..." }In the above example, the attacker sends a POST request to the vulnerable API endpoint with a valid API key. The `X-Auth-Bypass` header is manipulated to bypass the authentication.
Mitigation Guidance
Users of Ruckus SmartZone are recommended to apply the vendor patch as soon as possible, updating to version 6.1.2p3 Refresh Build or later. If immediate patching is not feasible, temporary mitigation can be achieved through the use of a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) configured to block or alert on suspicious API requests. However, these are only temporary solutions and may not completely protect against all potential exploits. The only surefire way to mitigate this vulnerability is to apply the vendor patch.
As always, it is recommended to follow best practices for cybersecurity hygiene, including regular system updates, strong password policies, and continuous monitoring for suspicious activity.