CVE-2018-25122 in Nagios
Summary
by MITRE • 10/31/2025
Nagios XI versions prior to 5.4.13 contain a remote code execution vulnerability in the Component Download page. The download/import handler used unsafe command construction with attacker-controlled input and lacked sufficient validation and output encoding, allowing an authenticated user to inject commands or otherwise execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the application service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2025
This vulnerability resides in Nagios XI versions before 5.4.13 and represents a critical remote code execution flaw within the Component Download page functionality. The vulnerability stems from unsafe command construction practices where the system directly incorporates attacker-controlled input into system commands without proper sanitization or validation. This design flaw creates a pathway for authenticated users to inject malicious commands that get executed with the privileges of the application service account, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The issue manifests specifically in the download/import handler component that processes user-supplied data for system command execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and CWE-80, which addresses improper neutralization of script-related HTML tags in a web page. Attackers can leverage this weakness by crafting malicious input that gets processed through the vulnerable command construction mechanism, bypassing normal authentication checks since the vulnerability requires only authenticated access. The lack of sufficient input validation and output encoding creates a direct injection vector where user-controllable parameters are passed to system commands without proper sanitization, making it particularly dangerous as it operates within the application's privilege context.
Operationally, this vulnerability presents a severe risk to organizations relying on Nagios XI for network monitoring and system management. An authenticated attacker with access to the Nagios XI interface can execute arbitrary code on the target system, potentially leading to data exfiltration, system compromise, privilege escalation, or lateral movement within the network. The impact extends beyond immediate system compromise as the application service privileges often provide elevated access to system resources, configuration files, and potentially other network services. This vulnerability undermines the integrity of the monitoring infrastructure and can be exploited to maintain persistent access or to launch further attacks against the broader network environment.
Organizations should prioritize immediate remediation by upgrading to Nagios XI version 5.4.13 or later, which implements proper input validation and command construction practices to prevent injection attacks. Additional mitigations include implementing network segmentation to limit access to Nagios XI systems, enforcing strict access controls and authentication mechanisms, and monitoring for suspicious command execution patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding practices such as those outlined in the OWASP Top Ten and NIST SP 800-53 security controls, particularly focusing on input validation, privilege separation, and secure command execution. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls and runtime application self-protection mechanisms to detect and prevent exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other monitoring and management systems.